During hot rolling of steel, the material is subjected to a high degree of deformation which could lead to defects in the product if the process is not well controlled. Therefore, it is vital to predict the conditions of irreversible damage in the rolled material that could affect product quality. Finite Element (FE) simulations are the preferred tool to simulate the progression of deformation steps in hot rolling to the final product shape. In this work, experimental Johnson-Cook (JC) strength and damage models parameters were determined using high-temperature mechanical tests of medium carbon V micro alloyed steel. FE models were developed for two different industrial hot rolling bar schedules: i) square to round and, ii) round to round. Using the simulations, both rolling schedules were compared, the locations of regions with a high probability of damage initiation were predicted, and the critical rolling passes were also identified.