Michigan Football: 5 Wolverines who need to live up to the hype

ANN ARBOR, MICHIGAN - NOVEMBER 28: Caziah Holmes #26 of the Penn State Nittany Lions tries to get around the tackle of Daxton Hill #30 of the Michigan Wolverines during the first half at Michigan Stadium on November 28, 2020 in Ann Arbor, Michigan. (Photo by Gregory Shamus/Getty Images) /

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Aidan Hutchinson

The former in-state recruit Aidan Hutchinson has been exceptional for the Wolverines and has been everything Michigan football could have wanted.

Injuries ruined his 2020 season and despite the fact that he still would have been drafted in the NFL, he decided to return to Michigan football for his senior season.

Of all the guys on the roster, he gets mentioned the most in terms of being a first-round pick and the basis for that was his 2019 season which featured 10 tackles for loss and 3.5 sacks to go along with 69 tackles and six pass breakups.

Hutchinson is still being mocked in the first round and in the new defense run by Mike Macdonald, one that will allow him to play standing up as an edge rusher, as well as a traditional role as a hand-down defensive end, he should excel.

Jim Harbaugh has said Hutchinson will move all over the place and he needs to deliver a first-team All-Big Ten type of season. He’s got that ability and is also a dominant run defender.

Michigan football struggled to rush the passer last season, which was in large part due to injuries to both Hutchinson and Kwity Paye, who went to Indianapolis in the first round.

While it’s hard to get sacks in college, it would be great to see Hutchinson breakout for a 10-sack season and honestly, with his ability, it wouldn’t be shocking at all.

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