NFL Draft 2022 tracker: Live blog and pick-by-pick analysis
For a long time during this draft cycle, it seemed like the Jaguars would take Aidan Hutchinson or Kayvon Thibodeaux and the Lions would land the holdover. Instead, Travon Walker made a charge up the board to No. 1 overall, leaving Detroit in the enviable position of having its choice between Hutchinson and Thibodeaux.
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The choice: Hutchinson, the local product and a phenomenal fit with both the Lions’ defensive scheme and what Dan Campbell wants to instill in the locker room. “It was the Lions all the way,” Hutchinson said on a call with the Detroit media Thursday night. “The whole draft process, I wanted them to pick me.”
GM Brad Holmes wasted almost no time Thursday night handing in the card with Hutchinson’s name on it. About 45 minutes after that pick, defensive coordinator Aaron Glenn walked into a session with the Detroit media absolutely beaming.
“We’re excited,” Glenn said. “We’re excited. This is a good time for Detroit. … The one thing we thought about Aidan is: He’s relentless, he plays the run really well and he is a Detroit Lion, through and through. That’s why I say we deserve this player and the player deserves us, also. It’s a true fit.”
Draft grades: Sheil Kapadia weighs in on the picks
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Big board ranking: Hutchinson ranked No. 1 on Dane Brugler’s list of the top 300 prospects. The next closest edge rushers were Walker (No. 4) and Thibodeaux (No. 8).
Introduction: “Aidan is the absolute best player in college football,” former Michigan offensive coordinator Josh Gattis said. “There is no doubt in my mind. The impact he brings to this team — yes, in practice, we hate it. The type of disruption he shows in games is the same way in practice. … If you’re an opposing offensive coordinator, he changes your whole game plan and how you choose to attack a defense.”
Sounds like what the Lions have been missing, no?
How he fits: On the field, the traits that jump out are Hutchinson’s motor and his ability to impact the game on three downs. He was a Heisman Trophy finalist for Michigan last season, with 14 sacks — including three vs. Ohio State — and 16 1/2 tackles for loss. There is some understandable concern about Hutchinson’s arm length (32 1/8 inches), wingspan (78 1/8) and general ceiling as a pass rusher, but he also stood out as maybe the safest defensive pick in a very uncertain draft class.
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He’s a guy the Lions can have on the field immediately, especially as they plan to play more four-down fronts this year.
“Obviously, the questions of arm length, the questions of athleticism — all those questions were answered,” Glenn said. “The thing is: He’s so violent as a player. (Arm length) is overrated, in my opinion. People make a huge deal out of it. There’s nothing that this player didn’t answer, as far as the question that we had.”
Don’t sleep on that pass-rush upside, either, because Hutchinson brings a well-developed bag of tricks to the table. Glenn also mentioned how much versatility he might offer — the Lions’ defensive coordinator brought up Hutchinson’s 2019 tape, when he was playing three-tech. Add all that to the steady run defense he should provide, and he has a chance to be the total package as a prospect.
The Lions have prioritized “football character” over the initial stages of this rebuild; Hutchinson will give them everything he has, all the time.
Second guess? Thibodeaux was right there the whole time as a legitimate option. Without question, Holmes had an affinity for the Oregon pass rusher — he ventured out to see him play during the season, then traveled to his pro day and invited him in for a top-30 visit. That game was one of just two or three that Holmes attended live all year.
He would have been a strong pick, in his own right. The Lions were in a win-win spot at No. 2.
Rookie impact: The big question is how many flashes of dominance Hutchinson shows as a pass rusher. At worst, the Lions will have another guy who adds leadership to the locker room, improves their run defense and gives QBs something to think about. At best, he steps in and cements himself as a Rookie of the Year candidate by racking up double-digit sacks.
Depth-chart impact: As Campbell said, the Lions were looking for someone to step in and start, so pencil in Hutchinson for that role — he could pair with Charles Harris early, if Romeo Okwara needs more time coming back from injury; or line up opposite Okwara, with Harris working in as more of a pass-rush threat. There’s versatility in that grouping, even more so once added to Julian Okwara and Austin Bryant.
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The Lions were a virtual lock to take one of the edge rushers at No. 2. It was a glaring need that aligned with where the 2022 draft class’ top prospects sat. Now, with Hutchinson coming in, Harris returning and Romeo Okwara expected to get back to 100 percent, Detroit may have flipped a weakness into a strength.
Fast evaluation: The biggest thing here, with so many unknowns this year, was that the Lions needed to be sure. After seeing how quickly they made the selection and listening to Glenn, there’s no doubt they are. Hutchinson will be viewed as an absolute home-run choice within the building.
(Photo: Kirby Lee / USA Today)
