Michigan EDGE Aidan Hutchinson is certain to hear his name called early in the 2022 NFL Draft. A virtual lock as a top-five pick, Hutchinson has a chance to be the first overall selection next April. But the Michigan edge rusher has one monumental task ahead of him prior to that — winning the College Football Playoff National Championship.
Hutchinson and the Wolverines are in action for at least one more game as they’ll take on the Georgia Bulldogs in the 2021 Orange Bowl. Ahead of his matchup, we take a deep dive on Hutchinson and his chances of becoming the No. 1 overall pick.
Who is Aidan Hutchinson?
A legacy player from Dearborn, Michigan, Hutchinson has had lofty expectations follow him for his entire career. The son of a former All-American at Michigan under legendary head coach Bo Schembechler, Hutchinson forged his own path to the Wolverines. After dominating at Divine Child High School, Hutchinson was ranked as the No. 1 player in the state of Michigan for the Class of 2018.
With a massive frame at 6’6″, 268 pounds, Hutchinson signed on with his father’s alma mater despite a bevy of scholarship offers from schools around the nation. With those lofty expectations following him, Hutchinson played sparingly as a true freshman.
It wasn’t until his sophomore season that he recorded his first sack. Hutchinson finished the 2019 season with 4.5 sacks and 68 total tackles.
A fractured ankle ended what was likely to be his final season in 2020, allowing big No. 97 to return for one final year in Ann Arbor. As the saying goes, “the rest is history.” Hutchinson recorded 14 sacks in 13 games, earned Defensive Player of the Year awards from about every major publication, landed as a Heisman Trophy finalist, and won a Big Ten Championship in the process.
Could Hutchinson go first overall in the 2022 NFL Draft?
Could Hutchinson slip past Kayvon Thibodeaux to become the first player chosen in April’s draft? As much of a lock as Thibodeaux was for what felt like the entire 2021 college football season, Hutchinson almost feels like almost the safer selection between the two. Hutchinson and Thibodeaux will lock into a battle for the No. 1 spot all the way until one of their names is called in Las Vegas in April.
Hutchinson wins with power. He rarely sees an offensive lineman in front of him that he can’t overpower. What makes his power rush so scary is the fact that he was beating his teammate and speed rusher David Ojabo to the quarterback at times in 2021. Imagine a power rusher who, by nature, is a speed rusher because of just how powerful he is — that’s Hutchinson.
Thibodeaux is a complete package as he wins with a bevy of pass-rush moves and is dominant in run defense. But he also comes with questions about injuries and a failure to elevate his game in 2021. Hutchinson had a fluky fractured ankle and took his game on the grandest of stages this year.
Many folks say Hutchinson would be their No. 1 overall pick. And those people aren’t just Wolverines. In fact, I’m one of them.