The Detroit Lions have a fanbase well outside of the Motor City. They’re Michigan’s beloved team, and it would be almost too appropriate for the franchise to draft another University of Michigan football player in the 2026 NFL draft. They did so in 2022 with Aidan Hutchinson, and now, he’s one of the top pass rushers in the league.
If the Lions are looking to draft a budding player in the draft from Michigan, they should consider linebacker Jimmy Rolder. One Detroit Lions beat reporter even thinks he could be an apt replacement for Alex Anzalone.
University of Michigan Linebacker Could Be Detroit Lions’ Alex Anzalone Replacement
In a Monday, April 13 feature for A to Z Sports, Mike Payton urges the Detroit Lions to snag Rolder in the upcoming NFL draft. The event is set for April 23 to 25 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.
The Lions have already expressed interest in Rolder and have met with him, so this isn’t a stretch. As Payton points out, Detroit recently had a top-30 visit with the player, and he says, “When you see what he did at Michigan, you understand why.”
“He could realistically come in and play Alex Anzalone’s old Will linebacker spot right away,” Payton adds, which says a lot.
“Rolder is good in coverage, can rush the pass, and has possibly the best instincts of any linebacker in the draft,” Payton adds. “The guy sniffs out the ball and makes things happen. But because he’s only a one-year starter at Michigan, he’s projected to go in the fourth or fifth round because the sample size is too small for him to go earlier.”
So, getting a player like Rolder in the fourth or fifth round is nothing less than a steal for the Detroit Lions. Hopefully Brad Holmes and Dan Campbell are watching this one like a hawk.
Budding Michigan Player Has ‘Consistency’ and ‘Good Awareness’ in His Plays
Rolder’s NFL profile sings his praises, saying that the player’s “instincts and run-game consistency make it hard to believe he was only a one-year starter in college. He plays low and leveraged with violent hands to shock and slip off blocks.”
He only had 11 starts with the Wolverines, but he delivered, when given the opportunity. Rolder also, according to his profile, “finds the best routes to the run gap and maneuvers around traffic with efficiency to tighten angles to the ball-carrier. He plays with good awareness and change of direction in space but has average pursuit speed and coverage talent.”
What really stands out about his profile is that it says Rolder has the ability to finish tackles with a special technique and consistency. If there’s one thing the Detroit Lions need on the field, it’s consistency. “If you trust the tape and ignore his lack of experience, Rolder profiles as a future starting inside linebacker,” his NFL snapshot adds.
So, will the Detroit Lions take a chance on Rolder? The stars are lining up for it. He could immediately add depth to the roster and turn into a starter before too long.
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