Lions’ Aidan Hutchinson: Not Being Selected by Jaguars at No. 1 ‘Will Stick With Me Forever’
Detroit Lions edge rusher Aidan Hutchinson spent most of the offseason thinking he would be a Jacksonville Jaguar. Now, he will gear up to face the franchise that passed on him at No. 1 overall in April, carrying the memory of that decision with him.
Via Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press, Hutchinson said the Jaguars selecting Georgia defensive lineman Travon Walker over him is something that "will stick with me forever."
"[I] thought I was going (No. 1 to Jacksonville) for about three months and then a week before the draft something changed."
Hutchinson was the betting favorite to go No. 1 overall after the combine and free agency, but as the draft inched closer and closer, the Jaguars became linked more frequently to Walker.
While Hutchinson was immensely productive at Michigan and was seen as pro-ready, Walker was seen as a raw, athletic project who was more traits than production. The Jaguars, lead by general manager Trent Baalke and head coach Doug Pederson, made the decision against the chalk to take Walker.
"I guess my arms were just not quite long enough, but that hit a week before the draft," Hutchinson said. "I mean, we’ll see if that inch or couple inches was the difference."
“One, great person. I got a chance to meet him in person, just a great human being, and he’s a good football player," Pederson said this week about Hutchinson.
"It’s going to be exciting watching him all week this week but watching him in person and understanding he’s got a bright future.”
So far, Hutchinson has arguably gotten off to a faster start than Walker, though neither has set the NFL on fire. Hutchinson was named the NFC Rookie of November after some big plays over the final few weeks, including two interceptions.
On the season, Hutchinson has 5.5 sacks and 10 quarterback hits, with three sacks coming in one game. Walker, meanwhile, has 2.5 sacks with six quarterback hits, along with one interception.
“He has really gotten rolling. He’s got a couple interceptions that we were watching some ball security stuff of today that you happen to notice. He’s coming along as a playmaker, continuing to put pressure on the edge," Jaguars offensive coordinator Press Taylor said on Thursday.
"They’ve done a good job of just trying to find different ways to use him, whether it’s putting him on one certain side and letting him get comfortable, or within the scheme to let him try to get after the quarterback and pass rush. They do some different stuff where they will drop him out and he’s made some plays in those situations, really, against the Giants and the Packers he had two interceptions in those two games, so he’s done a good job.”
The debate about Hutchinson and Walker will endure for years as each young defender immerses himself on Sundays. The pair will be connected forever, and how the duo plays in Week 13 will go a long way toward defining a narrative.
"It’s tough to get to know guys during that process. It’s so short and brief then even getting a top 30 visit in your building and things like that, it’s still not enough time to get to know somebody," Pederson said.
"I’ll say this, this kid was professional—the way he acted, the way he spoke, the way he handled his business when he was here. You just know guys like that are going to have success in this league.”
