When the 2022 NFL Draft commences in April, Aidan Hutchinson may be the first player selected. Wherever he ends up going, Hutchinson is confident that he’ll make a big impact.
The University of Michigan defensive end spoke to PFT Live on Wednesday. In his interview, he expressed confidence that he’ll make a big impression in the NFL.
“To be honest with you, I think my game is going to flourish in the NFL because I watch a lot of NFL film and I see the differences in the game just the way those quarterbacks hold onto the ball longer,” Hutchinson said, per Mike Florio, Pro Football Talk. “I look at that, I’m licking my chops because you go to college you get so many RPOs, balls out like that. And you get to the quarterback, no sack, no nothing. I think when I get to the NFL, I’m gonna light it up. I’m going to do what I do and that’s rushing the passer, getting sacks.”
While Hutchinson might feel that college football offenses prevented him from getting sacks, he didn’t lag in the category. Hutchinson notched 14 sacks during the 2021 season at Michigan. That included three in the Wolverines 42-27 win over Ohio State.
The Jacksonville Jaguars hold the first pick and if they select Hutchinson, they’ll be creating a defensive line that opposing offensive linemen will struggle to prepare for.
The Jaguars recorded 32 sacks during the 2021 season. On the surface, that doesn’t appear that great. It’s tied for the fifth-worst total in the NFL. But we must remember that Jacksonville had the worst record in the NFL and was naturally trailing in a lot of games. Opponents attempted the fifth least amount of passes against them in the league during the season.
Josh Allen recorded 7.5 sacks while Dawuane Smoot had 6. Adding Hutchinson to that mix could allow those two to stay fresher and with that, more effective.
If the Jaguars do Hutchinson and his confidence is well-founded, the Jaguars will still have a long way to go to be a contender. with that pass rush and Trevor Lawrence under center, Jacksonville could at least be pointing in the right direction.
