Aidan Hutchinson, one of college football’s best players in 2021, is now an NFL Draft prospect. A gifted pass rusher, dive into his scouting report below with the NFL Combine in full swing.
Will Aidan Hutchinson be the number one pick?
Background
A four-year contributor for the Michigan Wolverines, Aidan Hutchinson posted career-best marks across the board in 2021. With a final stat line that showed 81 tackles, 18.5 sacks, nine passes defended, and four forced fumbles, he was one of the best players in the country. For his efforts, he was given many awards. Among them was a unanimous selection to the All-American team as well as a second-place finish in the Heisman voting. Hutchinson has a prototypical build for the position at six-foot-six and 265 pounds. He suffered a fractured ankle during the 2020 season, but it does not appear as if it will affect him long-term.
Michigan edge rusher Aidan Hutchinson says that he studies film on #Chargers Joey Bosa and sees similar qualities pic.twitter.com/JWivw3d9qj
— Fernando Ramirez (@RealFRamirez) March 4, 2022
What are Aidan Hutchinson’s strengths?
One of the first things that sticks out about Hutchinson’s game is his constant effort and motor. He gives 100% on every single snap, regardless of the situation, and his love for the game is clear. From a physical standpoint, Hutchinson is great. His hands are supremely impressive as he always delivers a powerful strike and is capable of bullying offensive linemen purely through the power in his hands.
He often wins reps in an instant just due to this. This trait also makes him talented in the run game, as he is capable of anchoring and setting the edge. He rarely misses tackles as well. He is just an incredibly strong player. It is not just a combination of speed and power; he is quite developed technically. This is where his ankle and hip flexibility show up most. With a wide array of rush moves, he has plenty of counters that he deploys as well. His inside swim move has proved especially dominant. Receiving NFL coaching will only help in this regard.
“I’m very confident in my ability despite how long I am. I think my greatest attributes are my instincts, I’m a very intuitive and that comes from watching a lot of film.†(1/2)
-Michigan EDGE Aidan Hutchinson pic.twitter.com/khKCUcCuOk
— Mario Tovar (@_MarioTovar) March 4, 2022
Weaknesses
Truthfully, there is not much that Hutchinson does poorly. His lateral agility is not great, and it shows up when he is tasked with being in space, whether it be with a ball carrier or in coverage. These reps are rare, however. At times, he also gets high out of his stance and lets tackles get inside his pads, but, again, this is rare and can be fixed. It is hard to pick holes in his game right now.
Where does Aidan Hutchinson project to go?
Hutchinson has a chance to become a really special player. While he’s perfectly built to play as a defensive end in an even front, he can offer his pass rush juice to any defense in the league. Every team in the league would like the chance to draft him. As such, he has a great chance to be the number one overall pick.
He plays a premium position that is always in demand and is already built for the NFL. There are many Pro Bowls in his future. Simply, whatever defense he goes to will eventually be built around him.
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*Top Photo: Photo via The Raider Ramble