2022 NFL Draft profile: Michigan EDGE defender Aidan Hutchinson
Michigan football reached the lofty goals it sets for itself during the 2021 season, winning a Big Ten Championship and making the College Football Playoff. Senior captain and EDGE rusher Aidan Hutchinson was the driving force behind it. As a result, he has positioned himself to be one of the first players off the board in 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.
Here is a look at Hutchinson’s background and what he can bring to the NFL.
Aidan Hutchinson’s background
Height: 6-foot-6
Weight: 268 pounds
School: Michigan
Position: EDGE
Projected: Top-five pick
NFL Combine/Pro Day results: 4.74 40-yard dash | 36-inch vertical jump | 117-inch broad jump | 4.15 20-yard shuttle | 6.73 3-cone drill | 28 bench press reps
Strengths
Hutchinson has the athletic profile and versatility to play in any scheme or responsibility. Michigan asked him to both play with his hand in the dirt and standing up. Much of what he accomplishes on the field is through pure strength and sheer force of will. Hutchinson’s football instincts are great and he always seems to find himself where he needs to be at the end of a play. His knee bend is terrific and a wide base helps him to maintain his leverage against blockers.
He is as physically developed as any EDGE defender in this class and is a workout warrior. Hutchinson is sudden and quick in his movements in a short area. Then, he will finish the play and do so violently. The straight-line speed is not elite, but he more than makes up for it with how quickly he gets off the snap of the football.
Weaknesses
Draft selection sometimes comes down to the upside. Hutchinson has an extremely high floor, but some in the scouting world wonder if there is room for improvement. He maxed himself out physically last offseason and certainly looked the part, but is there more here? His arm length is a concern to those who believe an offensive lineman with a long reach can outdo him. Hutchinson’s pass rush plan could also use a few more wrinkles.
Finding something weak about his game feels laborious and like a nitpick. He checks every single box.
Aidan Hutchinson overview
When a team picks at the top of the draft, it has to be sure that it is adding a blue chip prospect. 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, but 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.
