Michigan Football mock draft: Projecting Wolverines top 3 picks
By Paul Keren
The most exciting and disappointing time of the year is here for Michigan football fans; it’s NFL Draft time! Though it is sad to see them go, these former Wolverines now have an amazing opportunity to impact the NFL. Many of these players will be drafted on the first and second days in Las Vegas, so let’s make some predictions.
Aidan Hutchinson – Detroit Lions 2nd Overall
The Detriot Lions struggled in this past season, as many Michigan football fans know, and sit at number two in this year’s draft.
With the buzz around the Jaguars taking Travon Walker, I believe the Lions have the liberty of Hutchinson being available. We know the impact Aidan can make on any team with his array of pass-rush moves and incredible bend to get to the quarterback.
Detroit ranked very low on pass-rush stats, including sacks (30 total, third-worst in the league) and sack yards lost (201 yards, third-worst in the league) (2021 NFL Team Passing Defense Stats | ESPN, 2021). As NFL’s Daniel Jeremiah points out, Hutchinson has many tools to succeed at the next level.
"Hutchinson is an ultra-productive edge rusher with ideal size, quickness and polish. He stood up this past season in defensive coordinator Mike Macdonald’s system at Michigan. As a pass rusher, he has a quick first step and a wide array of hand moves to generate pressures/sacks. He’s collected wins with dip/rip moves, quick hand swipes, long inside-arm bull rushes and swim moves."
This pick makes too much sense for the Lions as they are in a rebuild and drafting an impact edge player from Michigan and, of course, played for the wolverines.
Many Lions fans who are used to seeing Hutchinson get to the quarterback on Saturdays should now get accustomed to seeing him do it on Sundays.