Aidan Hutchinson set to take the league by storm
The Detroit Lions had one of the best drafts in recent memory back in April, starting it off by drafting Aidan Hutchinson second overall. The hometown hero from Dearborn Michigan and the University of Michigan is looking to make a huge impact on one of the most disappointing franchises in sports.
Many people may not see it yet, but Hutchinson has the potential to be the Detroit Lions best player since former second overall pick Calvin Johnson. His ceiling is the Pro Bowl, an All Pro and even the Hall of Fame. The immediate question however, is what should the Lions’ coaching staff focus on to begin to unlock that full potential?
Before we get to what he needs to do in the NFL, let’s look at what he did at the University of Michigan.
Hutch was the consensus Number one overall player in the draft for several weeks leading up to draft night, but didn’t get picked number one because of the upside of Georgia defensive lineman Trayvon Walker.
He could have been a late first round pick in 2021, but decided to come back for a final year to take care of some unfinished business at the collegiate level, which indeed he did. Not only did he improve his draft stock, but he also helped lead Michigan to the College Football Playoff for the first time since its inception back in 2014.
However arguably his proudest accomplishment was when he and his fellow Wolverines finally beat Ohio State for the first time in ten years, which led to them winning the Big Ten Championship two weeks later.
As an individual, Hutch set the record for the most sacks in a season by a Michigan player with 14, showing why he is one of, if not the best player to come out of Michigan in a long time.
And how fitting is it for him to stay in the state and come play for a team that is in desperate need of an impact player. He’s already cemented himself as one of the most accomplished players in the state, and hasn’t even begun his professional career yet.
In order for Aidan to make the impact that fans hope he can throughout his career, he needs to check off several boxes at the NFL level.
Become a Leader from the Beginning
This may initially seem like common sense, but it’s worth exploring. Hutchinson needs to become the Detroit Lions defensive captain within his first two years in the league. In college, Hutchinson was the man that you had to game plan for, and I don’t expect that to change in Detroit.
Being a captain shows that not only do you have the physical tools to make the entire defense better, but also the football IQ required to dominate at the NFL level. Recent edge rushers have had immediate impacts on their teams, such as Nick Bosa on the 49ers, who led San Francisco to the Super Bowl the year after they took him number two overall in their draft.
I’m not saying Hutch will be leading the Lions to the Super Bowl in February 2023, however we’ve seen the impact that edge rushers can have for teams, and I believe Hutchinson can be that potential savior for a Detroit Lions defense that’s been devoid of star power for some time now.
Make Multiple Pro Bowls/All Pros
Reaching the Hall of Fame in football isn’t an easy feat to accomplish, as there are so many people in the league and limited spots in Canton. So obviously you have to consistently be one of the best players in the league over a long period of time. And whether you like it or not, Pro Bowl appearances go a long way towards bolstering your resume.
The NFC is loaded with edge rushing talent like Nick Bosa, Chase Young, and other talented young players. However you could argue that most of the truly top end edge rushing talent is in the AFC, which gives opportunities for players that haven’t yet made their mark to make it to the pro bowl for that side.
There will undoubtedly be more edge rushing talent entering the NFL in the years to come, but Hutchinson could be an impactful player in his first three years and could begin stacking up Pro Bowl appearances sooner rather than later.
Improve the Lions Defense as a Whole
As much as personal success is the main priority to reach the Hall of Fame, if you’re the only one succeeding and the rest of the defense isn’t, personal success can get overlooked. Many edge rushers have shown their impacts on the field by commanding double teams, opening up holes, collapsing the pocket and generally making everyone else on the field better. Pressuring the quarterback allows the linebackers and secondary to capitalize by having better opportunities to make a play.
The Lions are slowly building a defense that has the ability to do just that. With a young core with high potential such as Amani Oruwariye and former number three overall pick in Jeff Okudah, the defensive side of the ball should begin to round into form. Once the linebackers get a little more help, this defense could be scary in the next couple years, especially with a personality like Head Coach Dan Campbell.
Winning a Superbowl in Detroit
This might be the most important item on the list if Hutchinson truly has aspirations of becoming a Hall of Famer. He already locked up his spot in the Michigan sports Hall of Fame with what he did at the University of Michigan. His impact on the field was one of the biggest reasons Michigan won a big ten championship, and many believe he can do the same in the NFL with Detroit.
Everyone knows the Lions have been a bottom three team for much of the Super Bowl era. Being the first team to go 0-16, many Detroit fans have begun to believe the team has been cursed for the last 50+ years. Thankfully, Hutchinson & the new look Lions might be the team to finally start turning the corner from laughing stock to contender in the Motor City.
If he’s able to accomplish what is considered to be one of the most impossible missions in sports by bringing the Lombardi Trophy to Detroit, he might need to start thinking about getting fitted for a golden jacket.
Aidan won player of the game against Ohio State AND against Iowa in the Big Ten Championship, which also triggered a “Hutch For Heisman” campaign all around the NCAA. Hutch finished second in Heisman voting to Alabama QB Bryce Young (who I want to be a Detroit Lion in next year’s draft but that’s a conversationation for another day). No defensive player has won the Heisman since 1997, which was Michigan corner Charles Woodson, so coming in second for that award is a pretty big deal given his position.
The correlation being if he somehow wins not only a Superbowl, but also Super Bowl MVP for the Lions, Hutchinson may quickly become the most popular figure in Detroit sports history.
One of the game’s most unselfish players, coupled with his on field impact and hometown hero mentality, I can easily see him becoming one of the best athletes in the state of Michigan. Calvin Johnson and Barry Sanders are all-time greats in the NFL and for Detroit, but they both combined for only one playoff game.
The path is there for Hutchinson to truly etch his name into Detroit sports folklore. Now its up to him and the Lions coaching staff to ensure that potential is fully reached.
-Rob Martin
Twitter: @Defense_Rob
Photo: Maize & Blue Nation. This file is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 2.0 Generic license.