| No. 30 – Michigan Wolverines | |
|---|---|
| Position | Linebacker |
| Class | Senior |
| Personal information | |
| Born | February 9, 2004 |
| Height | 6 ft 2 in (1.88 m) |
| Weight | 240 lb (109 kg) |
| Career information | |
| High school | Marist High School (Chicago, IL) |
| College |
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| Awards and highlights | |
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| Stats at ESPN | |
James Rolder (born February 9, 2004) is an American football linebacker. He played college football for the Michigan Wolverines, winning a national championship in 2023 and earning All-Big Ten honors in 2025.
Rolder attended Marist High School located in Chicago, Illinois. Coming out of high school, he was rated as a four-star recruit and the 364th overall player in the class of 2022, where he committed to play college football for the Michigan Wolverines over offers from other schools such as Florida, Cincinnati, Iowa, LSU, Ohio State, and Wisconsin. [1] [2]
As a freshman in 2022, Rolder played in 13 games and totaled 14 tackles. [3] In 2023, he was limited to six games due to injuries. [4] In 2024, Rolder finished the season notching 26 tackles, with 1.5 for a loss. [5] Rolder earned a starting linebacker position to start the 2025 season for the Wolverines. [6] [7] In week one of the season, he recorded four tackles, one being for a loss in a win against New Mexico. [8] In week nine, he recorded ten tackles, two for a loss, including a sack, and a fumble recovery in a fourth consecutive win in the rivalry against the Michigan State Spartans. [9] Rolder earned Big Ten Defensive Player of the Week honors following the game. [10] In 2025, Rolder led the Wolverines with 73 total tackles, had two sacks, an interception, and earned second-team All-Big Ten honors. [11]