Michigan's Derrick Moore, Aidan Hutchinson already shaping up to be a Lions dream team

If it's not broken, don't fix it. That seems to be the idea of the Detroit Lions drafting yet another Michigan Wolverine, edge Derrick Moore, following their winning pick of Michigan's Aidan Hutchinson back in 2022.

The Lions drafted Moore with their No. 44 pick in the 2026 NFL draft, moving up to secure him. Whenever a team trades up for a player, it makes a statement. It's obvious that general manager Brad Holmes and head coach Dan Campbell wanted him, badly. The move came following the team's pick of Blake Miller out of Clemson at No. 17.

But, back to Moore. He's largely expected to be paired with Hutchinson, and these two are already drawing the kind of buzz in the NFL that shows this duo could be unstoppable.

Michigan Products Derrick Moore, Aidan Hutchinson Gaining Momentum Ahead of 2026 Season

In a Monday, May 11 piece for Pro Football Focus, Daire Carragher names five rookie-veteran pairings to get pumped about ahead of September. Moore and Hutchinson are on the tally.

"The Lions had little else to speak of on the edge last season, and free-agent additions Payton Turner and DJ Wonnum both ranked outside the top-100 edge defenders of 2025," Carragher says in the feature. "Moore, on the other hand, is coming off an elite season in the Big 10, highlighted by his 92.4 PFF pass rushing grade and 17.5% pressure rate."

He adds that Moore could do what past Lions edge rushers just haven't been able to pull off.

"Where previous Lions edge rushers failed to take advantage of offenses investing significant resources into stopping Hutchinson via tackle-guard double teams, chip blocks, and blocking tight ends," he states, "Moore could be able to feast with a healthy dosage of one-on-one reps coming his way, along with significant action on rushing plays and quarterback rollouts as playcallers continue to avoid the superstar on the opposite end of the defensive line."

The moment the Detroit Lions drafted Moore, people got excited, for the reasons Carragher gave and more. It's been so fun having Hutchinson on the roster, and he's a Michigan guy, so to add a player to literally stand beside Hutch, a Wolverine, is almost too good to be true.

But, it is true, and that's the Detroit Lions' reality going into the 2026-27 season. It's also a relief that Holmes finally realized this team needs a long term solution at edge rusher and went for one early in the draft.