Way-too-early 2026 NFL mock drafts are coming out and it has us thinking — what do Michigan’s draft-eligible players need to do to be first rounders? STORY:
The 2025 Michigan Wolverines football season is just a few months away, and there is hope for quite a few guys to make a name for themselves and catch the attention of the next level. Here’s what their top 2026 NFL Draft prospects need to do to secure themselves as first-rounders next year.
Edge Derrick Moore
Michigan has produced plenty of defensive linemen in the last decade, specifically on the edge. Moore could be the next one, with an ideal 6-foot-3, 256-pound frame that rivals those selected in Round 1 this year.
But in order to really take that next step, he needs to make more of a difference on the stat sheet. The average number of sacks for guys selected in the first in 2025 was 6.5, and the average number of tackles for loss was about 13. Moore only has nine sacks and 12 tackles for loss in his career thus far.
Additionally, we need to see more of a burst. Moore is a solid pass rusher, but he doesn’t pop off the screen like David Ojabo and Aidan Hutchinson did. It could certainly be in there, but NFL teams are paying more and more attention to 40-yard times in their evaluations. If he surprises and hits a 4.6 or lower, he’ll have a much better shot at being a first-rounder.
Edge T.J. Guy
Similar to Moore, Guy has an NFL-ready frame at 6-foot-4, 250 pounds. And while 5.5 sacks in 2024 was more than expected, he’ll likely need to approach double digits to even be considered in that range. Not impossible by any means.
But we also saw Texas A&M ’s Shemar Stewart go in the top-15 this spring despite only 1.5 sacks in 2024 and 4.5 total in his career. Again, if he has sneaky athleticism that maybe we don’t know about, anything can happen.
Cornerback Jyaire Hill
The name trending the most on the Michigan roster in mock drafts is Hill. At 6-foot-2 and 185 pounds, he is lankier than the average first-round corner over the past five years. Most expect him to run in the low 4.4s to high 4.3s in the 40-yard dash, which gives him the intangibles of a corner taken in this range.
But Hill is rough around the edges. He went through growing pains last year and allowed some big plays at times, but he also improved as the season went on. By the time The Game rolls around, the hope is that he is ready to take on one of college’s top wideouts in Jeremiah Smith and give him fits. That game could go a long way in his NFL evaluation.
Defensive Tackle Rayshaun Benny
If I were to fast forward a year from now, I think Benny will have the best shot at being a top-15 selection. He’s been overshadowed by Mason Graham and Kenneth Grant, but now it’s his time to shine.
One of two things must happen — he either has to put on weight and stuff running lanes, or he’s got to show off a great 40-time. Benny is far from small at 296 pounds, but first-round guys at his position are usually heavier than 300 pounds and running in the 4.6-4.7 range. His best bet will be putting on a few pounds and still showing off his natural athleticism.
The average first-round interior defensive lineman stats over the past five drafts are 37.5 tackles, four sacks and nine tackles for loss in their final college season. While Benny has 71 career tackles, the other two metrics are right around what he has for his career.
Linebacker Jaishawn Barham
The priority for Barham is figuring out where he best fits. He’s far from a prototypical middle linebacker at 6-foot-3, 248. He’s a physical specimen who can turn into the top linebacker off the board, but he must he can clean up some of his mistakes from last year.
Where that typically lies for Barham is in coverage. He’s far from polished in covering running backs and is usually a step slow in getting into his lanes in zone. His play recognition in the pass game is usually late, allowing receivers to get open. Additionally, he can be a better tackler — he relies too much on his physicality and less on fundamentals.
That’s why he might be better suited on the edge, but time will tell how much he will play there this season. He’s a really athletic player, so it’s just a matter of finding where he fits in best and what position provides him the highest upside in the NFL.