Odds shift for Aidan Hutchinson's draft slot ahead of Thursday's NFL Draft
The last few months of NFL Draft talk have revolved around the idea that Michigan EDGE Aidan Hutchinson would be the No. 1 overall pick. The conversation is shifting as we head into the draft weekend in Las Vegas.
Upon waking Monday morning, oddsmakers have shifting things big-time at the top of the board. Georgia EDGE defender Travon Walker is now the betting favorite to go No. 1 overall on PointsBet, FanDuel, DraftKings, Caesars and BetMGM. DraftKings has Walker at -150 to go the Jacksonville Jaguars.
With the shift in odds, Hutchinson is now the betting favorite at +100 to head to the Detroit Lions with the No. 2 overall pick.
This would be notable for local fans given Hutchinson’s ties to the area. He is a Plymouth, Michigan native and played his high school football at Dearborn Divine Child High School. His hometown is 25 minutes away from both Ann Arbor and the Lions facility in Allen Park.
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.
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What Aidan Hutchinson could bring to the NFL
Prior to the NFL Draft, we profiled Hutchinson as a prospect and what he could bring to the NFL.
“When a team picks at the top of the draft, it has to be sure that it is adding a blue chip prospect,” we wrote in an April 22 profile. “Hutchinson may be (to some) a notch below some of the elite pass rush prospects that have come out in recent memory. There could be some validity to that, but few have been as ready for the NFL right out of the box. The chance to go No. 1 overall should speak volumes on how his standing compares to the rest of the class.
“With Hutchinson, it is not hard to imagine him being one of the captains on defense and someone whose presence alone raises the level of play of everyone around them. He is a high-motor, high-character, high-floor prospect that burns to win and beat the guy across from him. Time will tell if he rounds into a Pro Bowler or not. Whoever selects him should have a good 10-year starter. What has been set at Michigan is a good baseline. Now, he has a shot to be the straw that stirs the drink elsewhere.”
When is the 2022 NFL Draft?
The 2022 NFL Draft will be held from April 28-30 in Las Vegas, Nevada. The first round is set for Thursday night with second and third rounds taking place Friday. The event concludes on Saturday with rounds four through seven. The event will be broadcast via ESPN and NFL Network.
