Projecting Aidan Hutchinson As A Pro

What a season it's been for Aidan Hutchinson. He broke the Michigan single-season sack record and isn't done yet, he helped beat Ohio State and win a Big Ten Championship, he won the Rotary Lombardi Award, the Ted Hendricks Award and the Lott IMPACT Trophy and also finished second in the Heisman voting. He was MVP of the Big Ten Championship game becoming the first defensive player to win the award and was named the Big Ten's defensive lineman and overall defensive player of the year. And now he's being viewed as the top overall prospect in April's NFL Draft.

ESPN's NFL Draft expert Jordan Reid recently broke down all four Heisman finalists and, like just about everyone else, sees Hutchinson going first overall and carving out a long, successful career in the league.

Pros: Hutchinson played in just two games in 2020, before a right ankle fracture ended his season. And even though he didn't have a sack, his talent was evident. Scouts wanted to see him fulfill his potential and string together great performances over a full season. That's exactly what he has done this season, leading one of the best defensive units in the country.Over the past five games, Hutchinson had 28 tackles and seven sacks, including a pair of three-sack performances against Penn State and Ohio State. Standing out while on the biggest of stages resulted in the 6-foot-6, 265-pound edge rusher being finalist for the Heisman Trophy. Charles Woodson (1997) is the only defensive player to take home the illustrious award during its 86-year history. Now, another Michigan man is vying to repeat history.

Hutchinson is a long levered and versatile defensive end. Crafty with his rush plans, he can attack blockers in many ways. Consistently running hard up the field before slipping back underneath with counter moves has become a staple for him. Combining his maturation off of the edge with his effort through the entirety of games, the arrow continues to point up for his development.

Biggest question marks: Durability was one that scouts had coming into the year and how he would respond coming back from that injured ankle. Now, though, there aren't many question marks with Hutchinson's resume -- he has checked multiple boxes this season. Having silenced those critics, the biggest hurdle remaining for him is the lead up to the pre-draft process with the combine and interviews at the draft.

Where Hutchinson projects in the 2022 draft: If he aces those tests, he's firmly in position to battle Oregon pass-rusher Kayvon Thibodeaux to be the No. 1 overall pick. Both defensive ends could seesaw back and forth as the top defenders and best players at the position in this draft class.

It's probably a good thing for Hutchinson that an NFL Draft expert can't really point out a weakness in his game. Of course he's not perfect, but when you put on the tape, there really isn't a glaring weakness. He's got the size, strength, bend, athleticism, skill set and drive to be great in the NFL. If I'm an NFL general manager, I'm taking Hutchinson first overall in four months and never worrying about him.