ESPN tabs Michigan DE Aidan Hutchinson as first-team All-American

Michigan Wolverines football junior defensive end Aidan Hutchinson continues to rack up the awards. One of 11 defensive players to ever be named a Heisman Trophy finalist, Hutchinson has now been named a first-team All-American by ESPN.com.

The Big Ten Defensive Player and Lineman of the Year set Michigan’s single-season sack record this season (14.0) and leads the rest of the field by two. He is third nationally in sacks per contest (1.08 avg.) despite facing frequent double-teams. Hutchinson leads Michigan’s defensive line with 58 tackles, 15.5 tackles for loss, 14 sacks, three pass breakups, two forced fumbles and one fumble recovery. He’s compiled seven sacks in the past four games, including three in each of the Wolverines’ wins over Penn State and Ohio State. He’s registered sacks in nine contests and posted at least one tackle for loss in 11 games.

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Hutchinson is the highest graded defensive player according to PFF College. He lists tied for third in total pressures with 73, and has recorded five or more in nine games this season. Hutchinson recorded 15 pressures in the Ohio State game, setting a mark for the most generated in a single game since PFF began tracking the statistic in 2014.

“Hutchinson’s return after breaking his ankle last November propelled the Wolverines to the College Football Playoff and earned him a spot as a Heisman Trophy finalist and potentially the No. 1 pick in the 2022 NFL draft,” ESPN.com staff writer Mark Schlabach wrote. “The Big Ten defensive player of the year had 58 tackles and 14 sacks, which were a Michigan record. He had a season-high seven tackles and three sacks in a 42-27 upset of Ohio State.

“In 342 pass-rush snaps, Hutchinson was able to create pressure 17.5 percent of the time and caused 19 incompletions, two interceptions and four turnovers.”

A team captain, Hutchinson has led a Wolverines’ unit that ranks fourth nationally in scoring defense (16.1 points per game) and 12th in total defense (316.2).

Hutchinson is Michigan’s first All-American since linebacker Devin Bush Jr. in 2018 and his selection is the eighth in head coach Jim Harbaugh‘s tenure.

He’s one of five Big Ten players to land on the All-America list, joining Michigan State running back Kenneth Walker III, Iowa center Tyler Linderbaum and Ohio State kicker Noah Ruggles.

The Wolverines will take on Georgia in the Dec. 31 Orange Bowl that serves as a College Football Playoff semifinal. There, they will face tight end Brock Bowers, defensive tackle Jordan Davis and linebacker Nakobe Dean, all of whom also appeared on the All-American list.

A true freshman, Bowers leads Georgia with 47 catches for 791 yards, while Davis commands plenty of attention on the interior of the Bulldogs’ defense and Butkus Award winner Dean has 61 tackles, five sacks, 8.5 stops for loss, two interceptions and two forced fumbles on the year.

Take a look at the entire All-American team:

ESPN’s College Football Postseason All-American Team

OFFENSE

QB: Bryce Young, Alabama

RB: Kenneth Walker III, Michigan State

RB: Sean Tucker, Syracuse

WR: Jordan Addison, Pittsburgh

WR: David Bell, Purdue

TE: Brock Bowers, Georgia

OT: Evan Neal, Alabama

OG: Zion Johnson, Boston College

C: Tyler Linderbaum, Iowa

OG: Kenyon Green, Texas A&M

OT Charles Cross, Mississippi State

All-puropse: Jameson Williams, Alabama Crimson Tide

DEFENSE

DE: Aidan Hutchinson, Michigan

DT: Jordan Davis, Georgia

DE Jeremaine Johnson II, Florida Starte

LB: Will Anderson Jr., Alabama

LB Nakobe Dean, Georgia

LB: Devin Lloyd, Utah

LB: Malcolm Rodriguez, Oklahoma State

CB: Ahmad Gardner, Cincinnati

CB Roger McCreary, Auburn

S Verone McKinley III, Oregon

S Jalen Pitre, Baylor

SPECIAL TEAMS

P: Matt Araiza, San Diego State

K: Noah Ruggles, Ohio State

KR: Marcus Jones, Houston