Aidan Hutchinson holds firm at No. 1 in latest PFF mock draft
Aidan Hutchinson‘s last hurrah with Michigan football did not go as expected. The elite edge defender was a non-factor in the 34-11 loss to Georgia in the Orange Bowl. Despite this, Hutchinson’s draft stock is not taking much of a hit in the aftermath.
Pro Football Focus released its latest 2022 NFL Mock Draft on Monday morning with Hutchinson still at the top of the board. Given the NFL standings, this would land him with the No. 1 overall pick to the Jacksonville Jaguars. The hometown Detroit Lions get Oregon EDGE Kayvon Thibodeaux as a consolation prize to Hutchinson.
What PFF said about Hutchinson after the Orange Bowl
Aidan Hutchinson’s disappointing game against Georgia in the College Football Playoff semifinal might take some of the shine off his draft stock, but that had more to do with Georgia’s game plan than the players tasked with blocking him.
While Hutchinson did manage just one quarterback pressure and a season-low 62.5 pass-rush grade across 32 pass-rush snaps, over two-thirds of those plays featured either a screen, run-pass option or play-action pass. [Those are] plays that go a long way to negating the pass rush. And on the few reps Hutchinson truly got to pin his ears back and get after the passer, Georgia made sure to send a double-team his way.
Despite the underwhelming night against Georgia, no college football player played better football in 2021 than Hutchinson. The 6-foot-6, 265-pound pass-rusher earned an FBS-leading 94.5 PFF grade in 2021. [He] did so after suffering a season-ending leg fracture during the shortened 2020 season.
With his power, get-off and advanced rush ability, Hutchinson has been virtually unblockable this season.
Honors and draft stock
Hutchinson set a program record with 14 sacks for the Wolverines in 2021. He earned numerous honors, headlined by being a consensus All-American and finishing second in the Heisman Trophy race. Hutchinson also won the Rotary Lombardi Award as the nation’s top defensive lineman.
Most draft outlets have Hutchinson firmly in the top five of rankings with many listing him in the top two. He and Thibodeaux will continue to create a debate usually reserved for quarterbacks at the top of the draft.
PFF’s latest mock did not list any other Wolverines as first-rounders. Third-year players David Ojabo (linebacker) and Daxton Hill (safety) have been listed as potential day one picks by other outlets. The early entrants will have until Jan. 17 to declare for the draft.
