Aidan Hutchinson reacts to staying local: 'It was the Lions all the way'
Michigan EDGE defender Aidan Hutchinson saw his pro dream come true on Thursday night. The Detroit Lions selected the hometown star with the No. 2 overall pick in the 2022 NFL Draft.
Hutchinson, who played in 43 career games at Michigan, was a Consensus All-American in 2021 and a two-time All-Big Ten honoree. He was also twice named a captain of the team and has a laundry list of other awards he racked up following this past season. Hutchinson is the program record-holder for sacks in a single season, notching 14 for the Wolverines in 2021. His play earned him runner-up honors in the Heisman Trophy race.
The Lions are in the midst of a culture change and organizational revamp. Hutchinson is plenty familiar with that dynamic and is ready to empty the tank just 45 minutes east of Ann Arbor.
“To the city, just know I’m gonna give it my all,” Hutchinson said after the selection. “It was such an honor to be on that stage and be picked by the Lions. It was the Lions all the way. The whole draft process I wanted them to pick me. And I’m so grateful that I went no. 2 to them.”
Hutchinson now makes the transition from Jim Harbaugh to Dan Campbell as the head coach he plays for. Both men eat, drink and sleep with football on the brain. Hutchinson is excited to play for his “kneecap-biting” head coach in the Motor City.
“He’s just one of those guys that you want to play for and just by the way he composes himself and does his business,” Hutchinson said. “He’s just one of those guys that you want to buy into because you can tell how passionate he is about the game. I didn’t have to meet him. Just seeing him in interviews and seeing how he even interacts with reporters and how he felt about his team. It just felt so genuine. That’s really what I appreciate the most.”
The Lions weigh in on Aidan Hutchinson
The Lions were in desperate need of a pass rusher at the top of the board. The team finished 31st in third-down defense in 2021 and had to add a stalwart on the EDGE. Hutchinson will give them quarterback pressures while also holding up in the run game.
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Lions general manager Brad Holmes spoke hours after the pick, noting that Hutchinson fit the organization’s critera.
“Yeah, Aidan Hutchinson checks a lot of boxes that we look for,” Holmes said. “From an intangible standpoint, he plays with a really high motor. He loves football, he’s very passionate about the game. But the other thing that I think is lost with Aidan is — a lot of people, when you’re talking about pass rushers, you’re obviously talking about sacks. He had a lot of them, and he was very productive as a rusher last year. But I think what gets lost is how effective he is in the run game.
Detroit defensive coordinator Aaron Glenn got a foundational piece for his defense. There were other options, but he cited the fit between Hutchinson and the Lions as too good to ignore.
“To me, here was the unique thing about all these guys is that they were all different in some capacity,” Glenn said. “They all had an attribute that you like, all right? But the one thing we thought about Aidan — he’s relentless. Obviously, he can get to the quarterback. He plays the run really well. Man, he is a Detroit Lion through and through. And that is no doubt about that player.
“It’s a true fit.”
