Jimmy Rolder, the Lions’ fourth-round draft pick this past April, has made his presence known this spring. The rookie linebacker was a standout on Day 1 of mandatory minicamp Tuesday, securing an interception of veteran backup quarterback Teddy Bridgewater in seven-on-seven drills. It was one of many impressive days for the ex-Michigan Wolverines defender so far, and Detroit linebackers coach Shaun Dion Hamilton has certainly taken notice. "He’s been good," Hamilton said of Rolder this week. “Still has a lot of room for growth, but I’m pretty good with where he is now. I just continue to challenge him day in and day out (because) it’s always a learning curve for rookies coming from college football to the pros. But, I’m excited to work with him, and it’s going to be a lot of meat on the bone, a lot of things that he can grow coming into training camp.”The Lions definitely increased their level of “grittiness” with their selection of Rolder, an ultra physical linebacker who should be a natural fit for defensive coordinator Kelvin Sheppard’s violent, hard-hitting unit.Rolder had a breakout campaign in his final season with the Wolverines, amassing 57 total tackles, two sacks and 13 pressures. He earned a 74.8 overall Pro Football Focus grade for his efforts, including an impressive run-defense mark of 80.1.The Orland Park, Ill., native has primarily taken reps with the second-team defense this spring, and joins a Detroit linebackers group that also includes projected starters Jack Campbell, Derrick Barnes and Malcolm Rodriguez.Yet, with a strong training camp, he could be in store for a healthy dose of reps come the regular season. “I can’t wait to see when training camp comes,” Hamilton said. “For OTAs, we can’t get too nitty-gritty out of just protection of the players. So, I think that you’ll really see the instincts in not just seven-on-seven, you’ll get to see in the run game and the pass game, see how those are tied together.”At this present juncture, there’s a solid likelihood Rolder plays a significant role with the Lions as a first-year pro. And that should only enhance the quality of the team’s linebackers unit in 2026.For more comprehensive Detroit Lions coverage and NFL insider analysis, follow us on X, @detroitpodcast, head on over to our Facebook page and give it a like, follow us on TikTok, subscribe to the Detroit Lions On SI Lone Wolves YouTube Channel.Add us as a preferred source on GoogleFollow