Michigan Football: Aidan Hutchinson looking more and more like No. 1 pick

As we move closer to the 2022 NFL draft, it’s starting to look more and more like Aidan Hutchinson of Michigan football will be the No. 1 overall pick. 

The general consensus among scouts, fans, and the media is that Aidan Hutchinson did nothing to harm his stock during the 2022 NFL Scouting Combine. He posted some elite times in the three-cone drill and the shuttle run, as I wrote about here.

We already knew all of this as Michigan football fans, but combine that with the Kayvon Thibodeaux situation (I don’t care how good you are, saying you will run drills and then not doing it while making an “I’m too tired” whiny excuse is a major turn-off) and Aidan has solidified himself as the probable #1 overall pick.

To add even more of a hint, the Jacksonville Jaguars surprisingly franchise-tagged offensive tackle Cam Robinson, keeping him around at least for another season. This is significant because before, the understanding was that the Jags would let Cam go, thus saving some money, which could be used elsewhere in free agency, and then go and acquire a tackle in the draft with the #1 pick, but that idea has grown more unlikely.

Lastly, to add even MORE of a hint, ESPN reporter and NFL draft analyst Todd McShay recently came out with a mock draft and had Aidan Hutchinson at #1, and Todd is one of the most well-respected analysts in the business, as he has several NFL contacts, so usually, there is some semblance of truth to his mocks.

This doesn’t even include the fact that the Jaguars went out and signed Pro-Bowl offensive lineman Brandon Scherff. It looks like the Jags have shored up their o-line at least temporarily. They can still add a tackle somewhere in the draft, but in terms of value, right now, tackle isn’t an immediate priority.

Could Aidan Hutchinson be Michigan football’s first No.1 pick in a decade?

Obviously, there will be a lot more movement in mocks between now and the draft, but for now, it looks like Aidan has distanced himself a little bit in mock drafts and is now pretty much the consensus to go #1 overall (although Georgia’s Travon Walker has blown up in the last few mocks with rumors about him going #1 overall).

Personally, when I saw this, as a Michigan football fan, I was elated, because Michigan hasn’t had a #1 pick since Jake Long in 2008, and that would be something Jim Harbaugh and his staff could point to and use on the recruiting trail as well, but as a Detroit Lions fan as well, Aidan to Detroit just makes too much sense.

If Aidan were to be taken one spot ahead of the Lions, I would be a little disappointed, but happy for Aidan. While there’s no guarantee that Hutchinson would even be drafted by Detroit if he was still available at #2, just the thought of him staying home and playing in the Honolulu Blue has me very excited.

Yes, the Lions suck, and people are going to say that the Lions will waste Aidan’s career away, but you could say the same thing about any of these bad franchises. Hutch fits the Lions’ new scheme and he is the type of player that is a culture fit with the Lions coaching staff and their vision.

The bottom line is: NFL teams seem to love personable guys. Guys that are confident, guys that are fun to play with and talk to, guys that play the game the right way, and guys that give it their all on every single play and always strive to improve.

The love of the game has to come from the heart, and that’s what Aidan brings to the NFL. It’s in his bloodlines. As a Michigan fan, who would’ve thought a guy with “short” arms from Plymouth, Michigan would be a potential #1 pick?

In the last decade, there have been guys like Denard Robinson, Jourdan Lewis, Jabrill Peppers, Devin Bush Jr., Rashan Gary, and Devin Funchess. None of those guys were even in the mix for the top spot. Not even top-5. Wild stuff.

Man, the NFL Draft can’t get here soon enough. Go Blue!