Draft This Duo: Michigan's Aidan Hutchinson and David Ojabo
An underrated aspect of NFL success is teamwork, and the most cohesive units have a level of chemistry that cannot be taught. It's rare, but pairing up college teammates on one NFL team can create a harmonious product. Just ask Joe Burrow, Ja'Marr Chase and the Cincinnati Bengals.
This 2022 NFL Draft series aims to find the next dynamic college duo and illustrate which two teammates' NFL teams should be looking to draft together. The first duo was highlighted was Boston College offensive linemen Zion Johnson and Alec Lindstrom, who have an innate level of cohesion necessary for all offensive lines.
This article switches to the other side of the ball, but stays in the trenches. Up next, Michigan EDGE rushers Aidan Hutchinson and David Ojabo. For 3-4 teams looking to improve their outside linebackers, Hutchinson and Ojabo have a complementary skillset that translates nicely to the NFL.
Starting with Hutchinson, the senior from Dearborn, Mich., has improved every year as a Wolverine. He bounced back better than ever after breaking his leg in 2020 and has risen to become one of the favorites to be drafted first overall this year.
His 62 tackles, 16.5 tackles for loss and 14 sacks were among the best in the nation, and he was consistently disrupting opposing offenses. Hutchinson led all Power-5 schools with 73 pressures, including a ridiculous 15 pressures in one game against Ohio State, a team that boasts two potential NFL players at either tackle position.
Hutchinson is the only player in the nation to have three sacks in three different games, and his meteoric rise in production and draft stock can be attributed to his legendary work ethic. Coaches, teammates, trainers and the media rave about his determination to be great, and Hutchinson has tirelessly worked to enhance his athleticism and perfect his craft.
The former dancer attributes that upbringing to why he's been able to lift excessive weight in peculiar positions while possessing the body control and brute strength to make your head spin.
That power translates to the football field, where Hutchinson has an NFL-ready bull rush and easily plows right through tackles on his way to the quarterback. Though Hutchinson doesn't rely on his athleticism, he has the most refined pass-rush technique in this draft class.
His pass-rushing prowess is like an architect; He carefully crafts a plan A but also has a detailed plan B, C and D ready if A is deemed not possible. Hutchinson has a wide variety of pass-rush moves, understands how to set them up and instinctively employs counter moves when necessary.
Furthermore, Hutchinson is a well-rounded player who has a dog mentality as a run defender. He uses his powerful play strength to set the edge and has a non-stop motor to chase down runs from the back side. He's even been asked to drop in coverage as a 3-4 outside linebacker and is functional at defending flat zones.
Hutchinson is the epitome of an NFL-ready prospect who has refined technique and all intangible traits that teams will fall in love with. He can be an alpha EDGE rusher who demands double teams and forces offenses to game-plan for him.
His running mate, Ojabo, is another projected first-round pick but has a different background and skillset, which complements Hutchinson nicely. While Hutchinson grew up in a football household and had his dad -- Michigan star Chris Hutchinson - -as a role model, Ojabo grew up a soccer player in Scotland.
In fact, he hadn't picked up a football until just five years ago, and before the 2021 season, Ojabo had logged only 26 career snaps. This stark contrast in experience compared to Hutchinson is reflected when watching Ojabo's film.
He's raw with his pass-rushing technique and doesn't have the variety of moves, pass- rush plan or setup that Hutchinson showcases. Yet, Ojabo is projected in the top 15 picks of most mock drafts because his inexperience bodes well for his future projection.
Despite being relatively underdeveloped, Ojabo's natural athletic gifts allowed him to tally 11 sacks and 12 tackles for loss in his first season as a starter. With future coaching and development, his ceiling is sky high and truly a scary thought.
Nonetheless, as currently constructed, Ojabo is a speed demon off the edge. He ran a 10.93 100-meter dash in high school, a 4.55 40-yard dash at the Combine and can beat tackles to the corner and has the flexibility to effortlessly bend to the quarterback and finish a sack.
What's enticed scouts the most is the progression he showed throughout the 2021 season. Ojabo has some high-quality sacks on his resume', showcasing the ability to string multiple pass-rush moves together. While it's a rare occurrence, he possesses the traits that teams should bet on and believe that he can become a pass-rushing menace.
Furthermore, continuing to pair Hutchinson and Ojabo together in the future would bode well for their respective strengths and weaknesses. Ojabo regularly speed rushes around the edge and forces quarterbacks to step up into the pocket. After a well-executed bull rush or his patented inside move, this is exactly where Hutchinson is waiting.
Additionally, while Hutchinson is a standout run defender, Ojabo is not. He's far lankier and has room to add muscle, plus play with lower pads to gain a consistent leverage advantage. Projecting roles in the NFL, Hutchinson can play the strong-side outside linebacker position, taking on the point of attack versus the run. Ojabo can play on the weak side, aligning from a wider split that would maximize his speed off the edge and allow him to chase runs from the back side.
Finally, like Hutchinson, Ojabo shows potential in simple zone coverage assignments. His fluid and explosive athletic ability provide him the movement skills to track tight ends or running backs out to the flat. While he shouldn't be depended on to lock weapons down in man coverage, Ojabo has shown he can survive in zone for 2.5 seconds, which would be enough time for Hutchinson to get to the quarterback.
The beauty of having two 3-4 edge players who can rush the quarterback and drop in coverage would allow defensive coordinators to disguise their calls and confuse offenses. Quarterbacks will have nightmares figuring out whether Hutchinson or Ojabo is rushing and when they both come at the same time; good luck.
Finding a seamless team fit for these two is difficult. Hutchinson is a top-three lock, while Ojabo likely won't make it out of the top 20. The New York Jets and Philadelphia Eagles have the first-round capital to figure something out, but both run 4-3 defenses.
The team that makes the most sense is the New York Giants, who have new defensive coordinator "Wink" Martindale. He's historically run a 3-4 defense with Baltimore, and those teams were always at their best when they had dominant edge players like Terrell Suggs, Matt Judon, Za'Darius Smith and more.
The Giants drafted Azeez Ojulari in the second round last year, and Lorenzo Carter is coming off a career year with five sacks, but neither have near the ceiling that Hutchinson and Ojabo do.
Keeping these Michigan freak edge rushers together in the NFL would prove wise and help lay the foundation for a dominant defensive line that could simply wreck offensive game plans.
