Free Press columnist Carlos Monarrez grades the Detroit Lions’ fourth-round pick in the 2026 NFL Draft, Michigan linebacker Jimmy Rolder.
Detroit Lions draft grade for Round 4 pick in NFL draft
Jimmy Rolder, Michigan, linebacker, No. 118 overall
The Lions officially entered the Blue Wall portion of the 2026 NFL draft by selecting their second straight Michigan Man: linebacker Jimmy Rolder with their first pick of Day 3, No. 118 overall in the fourth round.
If the Lions were going to draft a linebacker, the prevailing popular pick was Pittsburgh’s Kyle Louis, a smaller, faster Swiss Army knife-style player who could function in several roles.
So the Lions went the more traditional route with Rolder, who’s bigger at 6 feet 2 and 238 pounds and a smart, instinctive natural linebacker who plays the run well. Rolder might not be the most exciting pick, but he’ll have a role on special teams and might get a shot at challenging Malcolm Rodriguez for the spot vacated by Alex Anzalone.
The grade: B.
Contact Carlos Monarrez at cmonarrez@freepress.com and follow him on X @cmonarrez.
This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Lions enter Blue Wall portion of draft, pick Michigan LB Jimmy Rolder
Reporting by Carlos Monarrez, Detroit Free Press / Detroit Free Press
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