Allen Park – Sometimes the pieces fall completely into place.
When the Jacksonville Jaguars chose to take Georgia defensive lineman Travon Walker with the first pick in the NFL Draft, the Detroit Lions got the opportunity to add Michigan standout and Heisman Trophy runner-up Aidan Hutchinson with Thursday night’s second pick.
“To the city, just know that I will give everything,” Hutchinson said. “It was such an honor to stand on that stage and be chosen by the lions. It was the lions all the way. The whole draft process I wanted them to choose me. And I’m so grateful I became No. 2 to them. . “
Although the Lions repeatedly told us that all options were on the table with the No. 2 pick, positional value always pointed to the edge rusher making the most sense on the spot, given the lack of an elite quarterback prospect, and the team did not have a need for offensive tackling.
The addition of Hutchinson undoubtedly addresses Detroit’s greatest shortcoming; lack of a consistent delivery rush. The team has struggled to consistently influence opposing quarterbacks the past few years, and is placed in the bottom five in presrate each of the last three seasons.
Hutchinson joins a group that has some talented pieces but lots of question marks. Romeo Okwara, who led the team in sacks two years ago, will try to return to form after suffering a torn Achilles in October. Meanwhile, Brother Julian has also struggled with injuries in his early career, which has prevented him from making full use of his abilities through his first two seasons. While the arrow is pointing upwards with the younger Okwara, he finished with just five sacks and 21 pressure last season.
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And Charles Harris, who led the team with 7.5 sacks and 52 pressure before signing with the Lions this offseason, must prove his breakout campaign was not a deviation after the previous first-round pick struggled to produce his first four professional seasons.
Hutchinson, a native of southeast Michigan, played high school football at Dearborn Divine Child, located less than 6 miles from the Lions’ training facility. From Divine Child, he committed to UM and followed in Father Chris’ footsteps.
A three-year starter for the Wolverines, Aidan missed most of the 2020 season with a broken ankle. He returned last season and quickly established himself as one of the best draft prospects, finishing the season with 14 sacks. He broke his school’s single-season record, which his father had previously held with three sacks in a 42-27 victory over Ohio State.
At the scouting combination in March, Aidan Hutchinson further strengthened his resume with an impressive display of athletics. He posted elite benchmarks for his position in the 40-yard line and vertical jump, while posting one of the best three-cone times ever for a defensive lineman, showing his agility.
In addition to his production, Hutchinson’s work ethic and leadership have often been praised by his teammates, coaches and outside observers. His impeccable football character is the cherry on top for a Lions who focuses on establishing a culture based on these principles.
“I’m a rookie, I’m young, I just want to put my nose to the grindstone and really just come after it and not say a whole lot,” Hutchinson said. “I just want to earn the respect of others before I ever think about stepping up. I just want to go down there and do my part and do what I’ve always done.”
Detroit chose Hutchinson over other edge-rushing options, namely Oregon’s Kayvon Thibodeaux and Florida States’ Jermaine Johnson. Other players who were perceived as being in the mix at No. 2 were defensive backs Sauce Gardner (Detroit King), Derek Stingley Jr. and Kyle Hamilton, as well as quarterback Malik Willis.
“To me, the unique thing about all of these guys is that they were all different in some way,” defensive coordinator Aaron Glenn said of the edge-rushing group. “They all had a trait you like. But the one thing we thought about Aidan, he’s relentless. He can obviously get to the quarterback. He can play really well in the race. And man, he’s a Detroit Lion all the way. through. “
jdrogers@detroitnews.com
Twitter: @Justin_Rogers
Meet Aidan Hutchinson
Position: Defensive finish
College: Michigan
Height weight: 6-foot-7/260 pounds
Round / overall: 1/2
Remarkable statistics: Total 62 tackles, including 16½ for losses and a single-season program record 14 sacks, to go along with 12 quarterback-fast, three pass breakups and two forced fumbles in 14 games his last year.
Analysis: Hutchinson, the Heisman Trophy runner-up and first-team All-American, is a polished pass-rusher and a one-man wrecking crew on the edge, which is exactly what Detroit needs. The Lions have ranked in the bottom five in the presrate each of the past three seasons, and Hutchinson was credited with 74 QB hits in 2021 by Pro Football Focus, which was ranked third in FBS. In short, the local product will help alleviate a conspicuous weakness for the hometown team.
