Lions GM Brad Holmes talks excitement to land Aidan Hutchinson, makes comparison to another one of his favorite players

Once the Jacksonville Jaguars picked Georgia defensive end Travon Walker No. 1 overall in the 2022 NFL Draft, the Detroit Lions knew their move, and didn’t hesitate, picking Michigan defensive end Aidan Hutchinson with the second choice. For a second straight year, the Lions were actually reprimanded by the league for letting their excitement get the best of them and drafting ‘too soon,’ not allowing the television broadcasts to ruminate on the pick before them and speculate on what would happen next.

“I actually tried to be more compliant with the rules, because I know we kind of slapped on the wrist last year with [former Oregon offensive tackle and the No. 7 overall pick in 2021] Penei Sewell, and it was really well documented with the video and the uproar and the explosion of excitement just turning Penei’s card in,” Lions general manager Brad Holmes said on the Rich Eisen Show.

“I was being more mindful of, ‘OK, alright, how long do we gotta wait for this?’ I don’t remember what anybody said, and I said, ‘I’m just calling,’ and I called. I guess I unconsciously violated again, but once we saw that name, it was just, hey, let’s call in, let’s make him a Detroit Lion.”

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The Lions, and its fan base, got their guy. The former Michigan star who racked up 14 sacks and led the Wolverines to the 2021 Big Ten Title is a hometown kid, having grown up in nearby Plymouth and attended high school at Dearborn (Mich.) Divine Child.

“It was just a great feeling,” Holmes said. “The whole organization is excited. Obviously, this city, this community is excited to land him.”

Brad Holmes Compares Aidan Hutchinson To Super Bowl Champ

Holmes has had his eye on Hutchinson for a couple years now. Working in the Los Angeles Rams’ front office at the time, Holmes saw Hutchinson during Michigan’s 2020 season and was impressed. The defensive end suffered a season-ending ankle injury in the third game, but recovered well and thrived in a stand-up edge rusher role last season under new Michigan defensive coordinator Mike Macdonald.

“He was kind of playing a different position [in 2020],” Holmes noted. “He was playing more of an interior role, but I was a huge fan of the player. Obviously, he suffered the injury, but when I first saw him, he reminded me of [former Rams defensive end and two-time Super Bowl champion] Chris Long a little bit.”

“I was with the Rams back when we drafted Chris Long. The reason why that was such a unique comparison is because back in, I think that was ‘08, we were more of a four-man front team defense. And Chris Long was running a 34 at UVA. Then, we had to project him as kind of an edge guy. 

“You fast forward to Aidan. Again, [I was] still with the Rams, [current Los Angeles Chargers head coach and former Rams coordinator] Brandon Staley was running our defense at the time, and we were running more of a 34 front. And we said, ‘Man, this guy could be a five-technique or he could be a bunch of things,’ but then you see him the next season, and he just showed a whole new tool box that I was like, ‘Wow.’ It was an uptick and uptick in excitement and life form.”

The Rams picked Long No. 2 overall in 2008, and Long went on to have a stellar career. He played with the Rams from 2008-15, then won Super Bowls with the New England Patriots and Philadelphia Eagles before retiring after the 2018 campaign. He racked up 70 sacks in 11 seasons and had two years with double-digit sacks, 13 in 2011 and 11.5 in 2012.

‘He Fits Right In’

Holmes, Lions head coach Dan Campbell and the former Michigan standout had great chemistry developed from pro day to a pre-draft visit. It was more of the same when Hutchinson and his family flew in from Las Vegas the morning after the draft to officially join the organization.

“It was fun because we had just had him in for a visit right before the draft,” Holmes said. “Me, him and Dan are just sitting in Dan’s office, kind of just talking about ball and life and all that stuff.

“Fast forward, and then it’s him and the rest of his family. They came in from Vegas, and we’re like in the same spot, all of us. It did really feel like a good family atmosphere. We try to create that atmosphere and create that environment, but it was good to have Aidan here.

“I even said, ‘You reminded me of Chris Long,’ and I’ll never forget the first time I met Chris Long I was a combine scout. He shows up to catch the tram to go to the hotel from the airport, and he had a jug of water, like a gallon jug of water. And Aidan walks in the building after he flew in from Vegas, and he’s got a gallon jug of water in his hand, and I’m like, ‘OK, I see a lot of similarities there.’ 

He fits right in, he’s a welcomed addition. He comes from a great family. I had met his parents before at the pro day, actually, so it just seemed like the stars aligned.”