As both executive vice president of player personnel Eliot Wolf and head coach Mike Vrabel said at the NFL Combine, the edge position is one of the biggest needs for the New England Patriots.
Even after signing Dre’Mont Jones to a three-year deal on the first day of free agency, that remains true. Jones is expected to start opposite of Harold Landry, but the veteran’s ability after an injury plagued season is TBD as he continues his rehab process. And after losing K’Lavon Chaisson and Anfernee Jennings
in free agency, just second-year players Elijah Ponder and Bradyn Swinson remain as top secondary options on the depth chart.
That being said, the Patriots adding to the group early in the NFL Draft seems like a foregone conclusion based on the offseason so far. And if they do, Michigan’s Derrick Moore looks like a candidate to be brought aboard.
Hard facts
Name: Derrick Moore
Position: Edge rusher
School: Michigan
Opening day age: 23 (12/6/2002)
Measurements: 6’4”, 255 lbs, 33 3/8” arm length, 9 1/8” hand size, N/A Relative Athletic Score
Experience
College: University of Michigan (2022-25)
Career statistics: 53 games (23 starts) | 1,554 defensive snaps, 109 special teams snaps | 95 total tackles, 24.5 TFLs, 3 FFs, 3 FR | 118 quarterback pressures (21 sacks, 23 hits, 74 hurries) | 8 PDs | 9 penalties
Accolades: CFP national champion (2023), First-team All-Big Ten (2025)
The 2021 Maryland Gatorade Player of the Year and No. 20 overall recruit in the nation by ESPN, Moore committed to Michigan over offers from Alabama, Georgia, Notre Dame, Ohio State, Ole Miss, and others.
After arriving as an early enroll, Moore went on the play in all 14 games in a depth role as a freshman on Jim Harbaugh’s squad. Taking on a larger role in 2023, Moore shared Defensive Player of the Week honors five times as he was named an All-Big Ten honorable mention as part of Michigan’s 2023 National Championship squad.
Moving into a full-time starting role in 2024, Moore went on to earn an All-Big Ten honorable mention for a consecutive season. He was then named a captain his senior season and went on to have a career-year with 10.5 TFL and 10.0 sacks en route to being named the team’s Defensive Player of the Year and Bo Schembechler Most Valuable Player.
Moore then declared for the 2026 NFL Draft and went on to have a strong performance at the Senior Bowl.
Draft profile
Projected round: 2-3 | Consensus big board: No. 58 | Patriots meeting: N/A
Strengths: Moore checks in with good size along the edge at 6-foot-4, 255 pounds with arms over 33 inches. His game is built around his power as he often looks to go through offensive tackles with a nasty bull rush and speed-to-power conversion. He has also flashed the ability to beat tackles with inside counters and has enough juice to win off the outside shoulder as well. Moore also proved to be an effective looper and could drop into coverage occasionally in defensive system’s coordinated by Jesse Minter and Wink Martindale.
Weaknesses: While Moore has flashed some first-step explosiveness and ability to beat tackles around the outside, he looks to be an overall average athlete and did no testing at the NFL Combine. He also must become a more consistent run defender along the next level.
Patriots preview
What would be his role? With the aforementioned Dre’Mont Jones and Harold Landry penciled in atop the Patriots depth chart, Moore projects to have the ability to slide in as the No. 3 option out of the gate. He would provide some juice to a unit that ranked near the bottom of the league in pass rush win rate.
Does he have positional versatility? Moore predominately rushed from a two-point stance off both tackles but was occasionally kicked inside to rush against guards. Michigan also wasn’t shy of dropping him into coverage ever so often while he was consistently a member of their field goal block unit on special teams.
What is his growth potential? Moore’s lack of an elite athletic profile may cap his ceiling at the next level, but his size and pass rush ability project him as a No. 2 or No. 3 edge rusher in the NFL — especially with continued growth in the run game.
Why the Patriots? Moore checks many of the boxes New England looks for along the edge highlighted by his measurements and ability to win with speed-to-power. His motor and status as a team captain will also not go unnoticed by Mike Vrabel when looking over the day two edge rushers.
Why not the Patriots? In a talented edge group, the Patriots may tap into the top of the class in round one or just simply prefer a different player over Moore on day two. That could be someone with more burst and bend to pair off of Dre’Mont Jones on the current roster.
One-sentence verdict: Built on the bull rush, Moore’s profile makes him a day two fit for New England along the edge.
For more information about Derrick Moore and the rest of this year’s class of prospects, please take a look at Adam’s 2026 NFL Draft Guide.
Also, what do you think about Moore as a potential Patriots target? Do you like him? Where would you pick him? Please head down to the comment section to share your thoughts.
