Summary

Derrick Moore (21 years old) is a defensive end who has played his entire college career at Michigan with no transfers. In 2025, Moore started throughout the season and recorded 30 total tackles, 10.5 tackles for loss, and 10.0 sacks with 2 Forced Fumbles, earning him First-Team All-Big Ten honors and All-America consideration. The 2021-22 Gatorade Maryland Football Player of the Year has maintained solid academic standing, graduating with a degree in Communication and Media. Moore turned plenty of heads during the Senior Bowl and is widely viewed as a high-motor, team-oriented defender whose physicality and practice habits consistently draw praise from the coaching staff, with no publicly reported significant off-field incidents. Moore was voted a Team Captain for the 2025 season and was named Wolverines Defensive Player of the Year; key indicators of his maturity and long-term upside. Moore even became a weight room legend, benching over 450 pounds and squatting nearly 600. Outside of a hamstring strain that kept him from testing at the Combine, Moore has been durable and tough throughout his career, reinforcing his reliability as an every-down defensive end.

Strengths

Fireworks: Fires off the snap with sudden first-step quickness, immediately stressing tackles off the edge. Pursues from the backside and continues working even when initially stalled. Plays with leverage and toughness, holding contain and forcing runs back inside.
Three-Point Conversion: Translates burst into force, driving blockers backward and compressing the pocket. Absolutely knocked all star caliber blockers on their asses repeatedly during his week at the Senior Bowl. Has the strength and quickness to reduce inside on passing downs and attack guards.
Violent Hands: Uses clubs, chops, and swipes with force to disengage and keep his rush clean. Elevates intensity in high-leverage moments and consistently impacts important snaps. Willing to strike and stack at the point of attack, disrupting outside-zone concepts.
The Professor: "library" of notebooks detailing the hand-placement habits and weak footwork of every offensive tackle he faces. Credited by younger teammates as a "player-coach," often staying an hour late after practice to teach freshmen the nuance of the "long-arm" pass-rush move.

Weaknesses

Rush Plan: Can rely on raw power rather than sequencing moves with a clear setup. Occasionally rises too high, giving linemen access to his chest.
Bending the Arc: More powerful than fluid, limiting his ability to corner tightly at sharp angles. Generates pressure but doesn’t always close cleanly for sacks.
Counter Timing: Secondary moves can come late, allowing tackles to reset hands. Aggressive upfield push can open escape lanes if not balanced.
Coverage: Limited experience dropping into space, projecting primarily as a traditional hand-in-the-dirt edge.

Outlook

Moore projects as a high-motor, power-based edge defender with heavy hands, strong edge-setting ability, and the closing burst to convert pressure into finishes, making him a dependable three-down piece with upside as a disruptive starter. He fits best in 4-3 fronts or multiple schemes that value physical defensive ends who can reduce inside on passing downs, win with power-to-speed, and hold up against the run rather than operating strictly as a wide-9 speed rusher. A month out from the draft, Moore is trending as a Day 2 prospect with a Round 2–3 projection, but our grading has him much higher than most.

Pro Comparison: Frank Clark

Team Fits: DET, ATL, NO, WAS, JAX

Report written by Filip Prus