Dan Campbell on Hutchinson: Lions Picked 'Arguably Best Player' in Draft
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Detroit Lions head coach Dan Campbell is quite fond of the player the team added with the No. 2 overall pick in the 2022 NFL Draft.
Speaking with television station Fox 2 Detroit following the Lions' selections on Day 1, Campbell expressed that the team drafted one of the top players in the entire draft class by taking Michigan EDGE Aidan Hutchinson at No. 2 overall.
"Shoot, man. He's a football player. He brings a motor. He brings tempo. He brings relentlessness. He brings rush. He brings run production. He's quick, he's powerful, he's explosive. I mean, he's really everything we're looking for," Campbell said.
Campbell added, "We said all along, these are the type of players we're looking for, particularly defensively. You want your whole defense to play with that type of, man, your hair is on fire. And, you're all out all the time. And because it always starts here, defensively. So, this kid plays the game the right way."
© Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports
© Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports
With Detroit looking to rebuild with young and passionate players, the team's coaching staff and front office, including Campbell, are hoping supporters of the team are excited with the selection of a player many are familiar with.
"Listen, if you're a Lions fan, which I would hope most people watching you tonight, Dan (Miller), and this show, are Lions fans. Man, you should be super excited. I mean, to me, we got arguably the best player in this draft," Campbell commented.
Prior to the draft, Hutchinson also expressed his fondness for Campbell and saw the potential for the team to improve, if additional pieces were added to the roster.
"I know you can’t really judge a coach by what he does in the media, but just seeing what he does and how he treats his players," Hutchinson said on Adam Schefter's podcast. "You know, they won that game last week and how his players were, they were all -- I think that they’ve got a lot of heart on that team. And, (with) a couple more pieces to the puzzle, I think they can be a really good ball team.”
Defensive coordinator Aaron Glenn excited
The excitement level was also shared by Detroit's defensive coordinator Aaron Glenn, who recently began messaging Campbell, expressing what the defense could accomplish with Hutchinson on the roster.
"Listen, he's been blowing me up," Campbell said. "He's been texting me. He's been all over me, even before the draft. He said, 'Man, if we get Hutch, man, I'm telling you what we can do with this guy. It'll be unbelievable.' So, yeah, he's excited."
