Michigan's Derrick Moore offers raw power and sack potential. Could he be the Green Bay Packers' second-round solution at EDGE?
It may feel a bit too early to start thinking about the 2026 NFL Draft, but mock draft season will be upon us before you know it. In fact, for many fans, mock draft season started the minute the Green Bay Packers' 2025 season ended.
A lot is going to happen between now and April 23rd, when the draft kicks off in Pittsburgh. Right now, the Packers don't have a first-round pick, and they'll start their selections with pick No. 52, which is in the second round.
Not having a first-rounder in the 2026 and 2027 NFL Drafts was part of the price the Packers paid for getting Micah Parsons. They gave a lot to get a lot back in return, and that's just part of the reality general manager Brian Gutekunst will have to work with unless he's able to swing another trade and somehow get back into the first round.
So who should the Packers target in Round 2 and beyond? There are going to be a ton of names thrown around and many of them will be great picks.
Previous Green Bay Packers 2026 NFL Draft Previews:
Iowa offensive lineman Genning Dunker:
Iowa State defensive lineman Domonique Orange:
Texas defensive back Malik Muhammad:
Arizona State defensive back Keith Abney II:
Texas Tech Red Raiders DL Lee Hunter:
Northwestern Wildcats OL Caleb Tiernan:
Texas Longhorns LB Anthony Hill Jr.:
Ohio State Buckeyes CB Davison Igbinosun:
Getting to know Michigan Wolverines EDGE Derrick Moore:
Michigan edge Derrick Moore (8) sacks Washington quarterback Demond Williams Jr. (2) during the first half at Michigan Stadium in Ann Arbor on Saturday, Oct. 18, 2025. © Junfu Han / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images.Packers fans may be a bit shellshocked by Rashan Gary to feel comfortable about dipping into the Michigan Wolverines' system to pull out a pass-rusher, but consider the following:
Gary notched 10.5 sacks total in three seasons at Michigan. Derrick Moore notched 10 sacks in just his senior season. Over four seasons, he put up 21 sacks.
Moore is simply a power pass-rusher checking in at 6-foot-4, 255-260 pounds. He's a bull-rusher and a pressure-creator. He's essentially what the Packers hoped they were getting with Lukas Van Ness coming out of Iowa.
Again, for comparison's sake, Van Ness notched 13.5 sacks over two seasons.
Moore has a history of sack production, and then you throw in 24.5 tackles for loss, three fumble recoveries (one for a touchdown), three forced fumbles and eight passes defended.
Michigan used Moore as a stand-up linebacker, as a pure defensive end in a three-point stance and even in wide-9 looks. This is a player who could fit whatever new defensive coordinator Jonathan Gannon wants to throw at a team up front -- whether in 3-4 or 4-3.
The Packers could absolutely get Moore in the second round if he's there, and he may be a worthy selection when you consider the fact that Lukas Van Ness and Barryn Sorrell are your most likely starting EDGE players at the start of this 2026 season, with Micah Parsons coming off a torn ACL.
Moore is a former 4-star recruit out of Baltimore, Maryland. He wound up as a three-time All-Big Ten selection with 53 games and 23 starts under his belt at a big-time Big Ten school. Notably, his teammates also voted him a team captain in 2025, so he brings some leadership to the table as well.
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