2022 NFL Draft: Offensive line dominates top five in 2022 NFL Mock Draft
By Kyle Edmond
2. Detroit Lions: Aidan Hutchinson, EDGE, Michigan
Pick Analysis. EDGE. Michigan. Aidan Hutchinson. 2. player. 50. Scouting Report
Some fans of the Detroit Lions were upset to see wins toward the end of the year, resulting in the team missing out on the top pick and the chance to select a Michigan Wolverine with the first overall pick. However, there’s still a solid chance that the Lions end up with Aidan Hutchinson in the 2022 NFL Draft anyway.
This past season, the Detroit Lions failed to apply much pressure. As a team, the Lions ranked 30th in the league for sacks with 30. Only the Philadelphia Eagles and Atlanta Falcons had fewer. Tackles for loss was a similar story, being 27th in the NFL.
Aidan Hutchinson could completely change the landscape of the Detroit pass rush. During his second-place Heisman season in 2021, Hutchinson logged 14 sacks, setting the program record for a single-season, and 16.5 tackles for loss for the Wolverines.
Even going back to the 2019 season, Hutchinson was showing his potential. As a sophomore, he had 10 tackles for loss in addition to 3.5 sacks.
The NFC North’s quarterbacks in 2022 could very well end up being Kirk Cousins, Justin Fields and Jordan Love. If the Lions want to pressure the quarterback and force decisions from those three, there might not be a better option for a long time than Hutchinson.