The Detroit Lions opened up Day 3 of the 2026 NFL Draft by selecting Michigan linebacker Jimmy Rolder with pick No. 118 in the fourth round. Rolder has limited starting experience, but you wouldn’t know it based on the way he confidently moves on the football field.
Let’s take a look at Rolder’s background and traits and discuss how his addition will impact the Lions roster in 2026 and beyond.
Round 4, Pick 118: Jimmy Rolder
Rolder is still developing as a player, dating back to high school, when his high school shut down its football
program due to COVID. Rolder ended up pivoting to baseball, even earning a scholarship offer from Illinois. When football returned, Rolder rejoined the football field and caught the eye of Seattle Seahawks head coach Mike MacDonald, who was Michigan’s defensive coordinator at the time.
After contributing on special teams for his first two seasons in Ann Arbor, Rolder worked his way into a rotational role in year three and a starting role as a senior, leading the Wolverines in tackles in 2025.
Fit with the Lions
Despite his lack of starting experience, Rolder displays great awareness and instincts for the position. Those traits are especially prominent in run defense, where he is gap sound, has the range to cover multiple gap assignments, and demonstrates sideline-to-sideline range. He has violent hands and consistently moves cleanly through the wash, but if an offensive lineman does get a hold of him, his limited length does cause him problems when attempting to shed.
While overall he’s a fluid mover, he can get overaggressive at times and overpursue, but that could also be his limited experience coming into play. In coverage, he handles tight end matchups well, and can turn and run, making him a likely fit at the Lions WILL linebacker position.
Tackling is a strong skill for Rolder, who rarely misses his attempts, shows great technique, and loves to finish plays and players. This skill also shows up on special teams, where he has the pursuit and tracking skills to be a dynamic player in the third phase of the game.
Finally, Rolder is a high-character, intelligent individual. He was a three-time All-Academic Big Ten honoree, and when he received the phone call that he was being drafted by the Lions, he was volunteering at a charity golf event put on by his stepdad—and former Miami Dolphins offensive lineman—Scott Kehoe.
Quote from Dane Brugler’s The Beast:
“Overall, Rolder needs to iron out his overaggressive tendencies, but he plays with ascending instincts and the reactive athleticism to make plays in the NFL. If healthy, he will be an immediate contributor on special teams and offer the potential to become a weakside starter.”
Quote from NFL.com’s Lance Zierlein’s profile of Rolder:
“If you trust the tape and ignore his lack of experience, Rolder profiles as a future starting inside linebacker.”
Roster impact
The addition of Rolder now gives the Lions six linebackers on the roster, which is typically the minimum they prefer to keep in the regular season. The Lions will surely keep their options open to add more linebackers in the draft and possibly on the UDFA market, as they’ll want to add more depth and competition.
While Jack Campbell has locked down the MIKE linebacker spot, and Derrick Barnes looks to be the best option at SAM, the Lions’ WILL linebacker spot figures to be in flux after Alex Anzalone departed in free agency. When the Lions deploy just two linebackers or shift the WILL inside the tackle box, Barnes is likely the lead candidate to secure that role. When the Lions deploy three linebacker sets, Malcolm Rodriguez will likely be the early frontrunner for the WILL job, but he will face competition from Rolder for snaps/opportunities.
Rolder is still developing his overall game, but he has shown the ability to pick things up quickly. And with a high developmental ceiling, he’ll have a chance to compete for a starting role during his rookie contract, and maybe during his rookie season.
