For Derrick Moore, every snap is a chance to get noticed. The Senior Bowl was no different.
"No matter where I’m at or what type of talent is around, I’m always finding ways to get my name heard and get everyone to remember my name some type of way," Moore said.
Down in Mobile, Moore got noticed by Brad Holmes. Three months later, Holmes and the Lions traded up to draft him in the second round, No. 44 overall.
Holmes was well aware of Moore before the Senior Bowl, of course. He had watched the talented edge rusher get better and better over the prior four seasons at Michigan, capping off his career with 10 sacks as a senior. But Holmes still had some questions about Moore's consistency as a pass-rusher ahead of the draft.
With a strong week of practices against top competition in Mobile, Moore gave Holmes the answers he needed.
"That really was what did it," Holmes said recently on SiriusXM NFL Radio.
And no, Holmes said with a laugh, it wasn't Moore's viral one-on-one rep against Miami offensive tackle and third-round pick Markel Bell that sold him, impressive as it was: "The 1-on-1’s is kind of a titled drill anyway. There’s some guys who are playing a different position for the first time, some guys are playing left tackle for the first time, so I don’t put a lot of stock into that."
Derrick Moore ran through Markel Bell’s face 😳 pic.twitter.com/No2jbQpVmt
— Max Chadwick (@CFBMaxChadwick) January 27, 2026
"But what did show up and what is translatable," Holmes said, "is the 11-on-11 stuff. And when I saw how he was able to win rushes in the team periods, that’s what really did it for me, because looking at his production as a rusher I felt like it did get better from the start of the year throughout the end. But seeing him in Mobile in that week of practices, I thought he really put together a good week."
Specifically, Holmes said after the draft, Moore showed that he can win not only out of a traditional alignment on the edge, but "he can sub-rush too, which is very intriguing." That's likely something the Lions intend to do more of this season as they build out a more flexible defense under Kelvin Sheppard.
"I think that was a very underrated component of his game," said Holmes. "I thought he did a nice job proving at the Senior Bowl versus the top competition that he’s a real pass-rusher.”
This is Michigan EDGE Derrick Moore going up against a 6’9”, 345-pound tackle at the Senior Bowl and absolutely burying him
It’s a loaded EDGE class in the 2026 draft, but don’t forget about Moore. Explosive, refined hands, dense frame pic.twitter.com/WdZ4O5s8Re
— Jacob Infante (@jacobinfante24) January 28, 2026
Moore finished last season with one of the highest pass-rushing grades in the country among edge defenders, per Pro Football Focus. He ranked sixth in pass rush win rate in true passing sets; first-round picks Akheem Mesidor and Malachi Lawrence ranked seventh and eighth. Across from fellow Michigan product Aidan Hutchinson, Moore should help the Lions get after the quarterback from the jump.
He isn't as stout against the run, but "that’s something right there going into my first year, really going into my first practice, first camp, first anything, I definitely want to prove that I take a lot of pride in my run game," he said after the Lions drafted him. "I feel like a lot of people cut me down in that."
"This whole offseason, going to work a lot into that so that when the season comes I’m a full-around edge player, not just pass-rusher but run-stopper, set edges, get in the backfield, everything," said Moore.
Holmes has no doubt that Moore will do the job against the run, partly because he "doesn't mind doing the dirty work." And because he has a good feel for the game, in the ability to read plays and close on the football.
"When you start talking about guys that have good floors or higher floors coming in, usually those guys are instinctive players, and that’s what he is," said Holmes. "He’s very instinctive in the run game. And it matters, because you talk about edge rusher, ‘Rush, rush, rush,' well yeah, we want to get to the quarterback, but you can’t just get gashed all the way downfield either.
"I think that’s a good component to his game that he’s going to bring.”
But ultimately, the Lions drafted Moore to rush the passer. And that's what Holmes saw him do at the Senior Bowl. Three months later, Moore's phone rang on night two of the draft. The voice on the other end of the line said, "Derrick, what up, man? This is Brad Holmes."
"I was just like, ‘What’s up my guy?'" said Moore. "We started laughing. He asked me right away, ‘Are you ready to be a Detroit Lion?’ And I was like, 'Hell yeah.'"
"I’m excited about it," said Moore. "I’m definitely glad to be staying home, I feel like Detroit is my second home.”
