Michigan Football: Making a case for Aidan Hutchinson to go No. 1

Tonight is the night that one of Michigan football’s all-time greats gets his name called to begin his post-career in the NFL as the potential number one selection.

The Jacksonville Jaguars are on the clock and have a franchise-defining choice to make that will alter the future of the organization. There are some household names on the board like Kayvon Thibodeaux, Ikem Ekwonu, and Travon Walker, but the one that has been linked to Jacksonville the most throughout the process is Michigan man Aidan Hutchinson.

Those are the four names that have been mentioned the most about going No.1 overall in the 2022 NFL draft. Thibodeaux has questions surrounding him about whether he can live up to the hype or not since he came out of high school. The Jags have tackle depth, so Ekwonu may be out of the discussion. While Walker is more upside than production.

That makes Hutchinson the safest pick of the four prospects. He had a once-in-a-generation year for the maize and blue. One can argue that he was a one-year wonder and wouldn’t have done it without the help of David Ojabo and Mike MacDonald. He also got injured in 2020 and did little to help his stock.

However, in 2021, he translated his words into actions on the field. How many individuals can truly say that they actually did that? At the Big Ten media days, he proclaimed that he “wanted it more than anyone.” He then went on to back up his brass words by sacking almost every opposing quarterback on Michigan football’s schedule. He proved to everyone that he was virtually unblockable for 60 minutes in just about every contest.

He’ll be remembered forever for his efforts against C.J. Stroud and Ohio State. On that snowy afternoon in Ann Arbor, he realized one of his lofty goals by beating the Buckeyes for the first time in a decade. Few, if any experts predicted Michigan football to win that game and go on to achieve a Big Ten championship a week later.

Just a week passed and Hutchinson went on to finish second in the Heisman race. None of the other top available targets in the draft can post that to their resume. His legacy will be almost impossible to duplicate because of these rare accomplishments that he earned and may not be seen again in the Big House for a long time.

Jacksonville shouldn’t hesitate with Hutch and not pass on him because he is the type of guy who will make you pay for your mistake for a long time to come. In 365 days from now, it would not be a surprise if Hutchinson is the defensive rookie of the year and a cornerstone in Jacksonville for the next 10-plus years because of the way he works endlessly on the gridiron.