4 Reasons Why Aidan Hutchinson Will Win Defensive Rookie of the Year
The prominent forces in sports media loved the Detroit Lions’ decision to take Michigan edge defender Aidan Hutchinson with their first pick in the 2022 Draft.
General manager Brad Holmes selected the hometown product with the No. 2 overall pick. With the Draft process out of the way, the focus will now become putting Hutchinson in a position to succeed immediately.
Currently, many major sportsbooks have Hutchinson as the favorite to win the 2022 NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year award. Currently, SI Sportsbook has Hutchinson listed as the favorite at +450.
The New York Giants’ Kayvon Thibodeaux is second at +500, while No. 1 overall pick Travon Walker is third at +800.
Here are four reasons why the Lions’ first pick could indeed live up to expectation and win the Defensive Rookie of the Year award.
Hutchinson will be an instant contributor
Hutchinson won’t have to wait long to see the field for the Lions, who were 3-13-1 in 2021. He’ll compete for top reps with Romeo Okwara and Charles Harris among others early, but don’t be surprised to see him lining up as a starter right away.
Okwara is nursing a season-ending Achilles injury suffered in Week 4, which led to his brother Julian seeing extended playing time. There’s a lot of potential at the edge rusher position, with Austin Bryant and Julian Okwara showing flashes last season in addition to Harris’ emergence.
Harris just earned a new contract for his performance, as the former first-round pick played a key role in the second half of the season as the team’s best pass rusher.
The Lions will lean on the Michigan product to play a big role. One could see him playing a large amount of snaps from the get-go.
Once on the field, Hutchinson has displayed a non-stop motor and physicality that will make his transition to the NFL rather seamless. This motor is a good fit for the culture Detroit is trying to build.
“I think the playstyle is just from that list,” Hutchinson said. “It’s nasty. I think that’s what—the whole coaching staff was brought here under Coach (Dan) Campbell, and I think that’s the mentality. I think I come in and I bring that same mentality. I think that’s why I’m a perfect fit for this scheme and for that Detroit grit. I think I fit that mold.”
Aaron Glenn’s scheme
Back for his second season as Detroit’s defensive coordinator, Glenn has a brand new asset for his defense in Hutchinson. Last year, the Lions defensive scheme produced a career year for Harris, so it’s not hard to see Hutchinson thriving.
Head coach Dan Campbell has said the team is looking to experiment with more four-down defensive lineman looks. Because this is the case, expect Hutchinson to move inside at times and rush from the six-or-seven-technique position.
The Lions didn’t get home very much from a defensive perspective, ranking 31st in sacks per game in 2021.
However, an argument can be made that with Romeo Okwara out after Week 4, Hutchinson would’ve been the best rusher had he been on the team.
It’s exciting to ponder what Glenn could cook up for his new rookie in their first year together. By making the right moves, Hutchinson could become a force.
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College pedigree
Coming to the pro ranks from Michigan, Hutchinson was part of a professionally run program. As a former NFL head coach, Jim Harbaugh runs his Wolverine teams under an NFL-like model.
Hutchinson spoke to this professionalism during his media session in Allen Park after being drafted, saying Michigan was run with structure and Harbaugh leading with professionalism.
Because of his experience with the everyday grind, Hutchinson can be expected to get acclimated quickly.
“Coach Harbaugh has a very professional way about him. Especially, what he kind of implemented at Michigan was just how -- with the scheduling and when they send out the schedule, we don’t know what we’re doing until the night of,” Hutchinson said. “We don’t know some of the schedules. So, I think having that, keeping us on our toes, was always a very professional way about his scheduling, about how he ran the program. I think it’s definitely going to pay dividends at this level, especially just in this NFL atmosphere.”
He was exceptional in his final season with the Wolverines, totaling a program-record 14 sacks and becoming the first defensive player to earn Big 10 Championship game MVP honors.
Playing in the Big 10 gave him access to some of the best prospects in the country across the line of scrimmage. As a fully developed senior, Hutchinson dominated the conference.
His experience in a pro-level program and his undoubtable talent should create a pathway to success early in his career.
Hometown support and motivation
Don’t discount the impact living close to home will have on the Dearborn Divine Child High School graduate.
By remaining in Michigan, Hutchinson will be close to his family. This is important, as he has a special relationship with both his mother and father.
He followed in his father’s footsteps by playing at Michigan but has taken it even farther by getting drafted. Now, every time Aidan Hutchinson steps on the field, he will have his parents in his corner supporting his every move.
By being so close to home, Hutchinson can remain locked in on football while never having to look far for support.
There’s also his motivation which played a key role in him getting this far. On Draft night, Hutchinson wore a suit emblazoned with different manifestations he’s had over his youth. This is proof of his will and determination.
Hutchinson has all the off-field pieces in place, which could create an easy environment to thrive in.
