From now until the 2026 NFL Draft, we will scout and create profiles for as many prospects as possible, examining their strengths, weaknesses and what they can bring to an NFL franchise. These players could be potential top-10 picks, down to Day 3 selections and priority undrafted free agents. Today, a scouting report on Michigan EDGE Derrick Moore.
No. 8 DERRICK MOORE/EDGE, MICHIGAN (SENIOR) – 6040, 255 pounds
Measurements
Player Ht/Wt Hand Size Arm Length Wingspan
Derrick Moore 6040/255 9 1/8 33 3/8 N/A
40-Yard Dash 10-Yard Dash Short Shuttle 3-Cone
N/A N/A N/A N/A
Broad Jump Vertical Bench Press
N/A N/A N/A
THE GOOD
– Explosive out of stance
– Good athletic ability
– Quick change of direction to beat tackles inside
– Gets hands up to bat down throws
– Good play strength and contact balance taking on blocks
– Can bull rush with strong upper and lower body
– Attacks with good pad level
– Hands fit inside to lift tackles up for bull rush
– Good gap discipline
– Plays pullers extremely well
– High IQ run defender
– Holds edge well vs run
– Fast closing speed
– Good tackler
– Finishes the quarterback under control
THE BAD
– Lacks pass rush plan
– Rarely uses hands as a pass rusher, which is concerning for an older prospect
– Lacks bend to beat tackles off the edge
– Gets pushed downfield vs double teams
STATS
– Started 23 games and appeared in 53 games across 4 seasons at Michigan
– 2025: 30 tackles, 10.5 TFL, 10 sacks, 2 forced fumbles, 3 PBUs
– Career: 95 tackles, 24.5 TFL, 21 sacks, 3 forced fumbles, 8 PBUs, 1 touchdown
INJURY HISTORY
– 2026: Suffered a hamstring injury leading up to the combine, eliminating him from taking part in drills
– 2024: Missed one game vs Washington due to an undisclosed injury
BACKGROUND
– Turning 24 in December of 2026
– Named Second Team All-Big Ten in 2025
– Won the Bo Schembechler Most Valuable Player (Michigan’s MVP)
– Voted a team captain by teammates in 2025
– Named All-Big Ten Honorable Mention in 2024 and 2023
– Four-star recruit out of St. Frances Academy in Maryland
– Ranked the No. 2 prospect in Maryland
– Won the 2021 MaxPreps Maryland High School Football Player of the Year
– Moore’s parents thought he would become a sumo wrestler first and then a basketball player, but eventually shifted towards football because he fouled too much in basketball
TAPE BREAKDOWN
Derrick Moore had a productive career at Michigan with his smart play and ability to defend the run. He flies out of his stance and attacks the offensive lineman with good pad level, holding his ground and using long arms to locate the ball carrier and make tackles. He is a team player that will do his job and not look for personal stats, which any NFL team will want to take a chance on.
His athletic ability shines on tape, and the most impressive trait he has is being the read player vs zone read, power read, or split zone RPOs. He can hold the point and makes the quarterback make a definitive decision, then closes down quickly on the ball carrier to make a tackle. Here, he makes the quarterback give the ball up because of his patience holding the c-gap and then explodes down the line of scrimmage to make a tackle.
Moore handles pullers with extreme precision, making sure to fit his gap and let other defenders make the play. This is hardly a highlight from Moore, but he undercuts the tight end in split zone to secure the c-gap, allowing the linebacker to scrape overtop and make the tackle.
While Moore is a productive run defender, he lacks a pass rush plan and struggles to beat tackles 1v1 using his hands. I would like to assume that Michigan was trying to get him to use hands, and if he was refusing, that is a serious problem. He will be 23 when he gets drafted, and if he cannot use his hands to beat tackles, it will severely limit his ceiling and ability to play on every down.
When he gains a step around the edge because of his speed, he lacks the bend to get around the tackle and secure the quarterback.
He can bull rush at times, but that is no way to be a consistent winner in the NFL. When he bull rushes, his hands are placed in the perfect spot to lift the lineman up, but it will be harder to do this at the next level.
Because of his impressive athletic ability, I have faith that Moore can develop some pass rush moves, and if he can start to use his hands effectively, he will be an every-down player that can wreck games. Right now, he can only bull rush or win inside. On this play, he uses a quick jap step to win inside and secure the quarterback with good technique.
CONCLUSION
Derrick Moore has all the traits to be a productive starter in the NFL. I am just hoping he can develop good hand usage to be a consistent pass rusher. He will be a productive run defender due to his size, athletic ability and gap discipline, he just needs to be coached up on using hands to increase his playing time. If he was a young prospect, I would feel more optimistic, but he played in college for 4 years and still does not use his hands.
If Moore can develop a pass rush skillset, there will be teams that regret passing up on him.
NFL Projection: Mid-Day 2
Steelers Depot Grade: 8.0 (Long-Time Starter)
Grade Range: 6.9-8.3
Games Watched: at Oklahoma (2025), at USC (2025), vs Washington (2025), vs Ohio State (2025)
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