Michigan Football: 5 Wolverines with first-round NFL draft potential

Big men don’t grow on trees

It takes certain things to be a first-round draft pick in the NFL and one of those things is size. But you can’t just be big, normally, you have to be athletic or have some other traits and that’s exactly what scouts will find in Aidan Hutchinson, who will be a junior for Michigan football next fall.

Hutchinson is 6-foot-6 and 280 pounds. He can be a 3-4 defender or he could play as a traditional defensive end in a 4-3. He could even be an edge rusher and pass rushing is something he still needs to show more of.

However, he was very productive in 2019, his first full season as a starter. Hutchinson played in all 13 games as a freshman for the Wolverines, recording 15 tackles. Last season, he became a full-time starter and put together some eye-popping numbers with 68 tackles, 10 tackles for loss, 4.5 sacks, six pass breakups, four quarterback hits and two forced fumbles.

Hutchinson has proven he can be a dominant run defender and his length has allowed him to be a force in the pass game too. He has a knack for getting his hands on throws, but if he wants to be a first-rounder, he needs to get to the quarterback a little more in 2020.