Getty Michigan's Aidan Hutchinson looks to show why he's largely considered the top prospect in the NFL Draft during this week's NFL Combine.
The Detroit Lions didn’t have to look far to find their fix for a woeful defense, landing on Michigan pass rusher Aidan Hutchinson with the second-overall pick.
Detroit scored when the Jacksonville Jaguars landed on Travon Walker, and as a result, the team all but sprinted up their card to reveal the pick. It was a move that was rightly cheered in the aftermath of the selection going down.
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Former NFL quarterback and ESPN analyst Dan Orlovsky loved the fit of Hutchinson with the Lions, and had an immediate player comparison for the gritty lineman. As Orlovsky tweeted, he immediately sees former Super Bowl champion defensive lineman Chris Long in Hutchinson.
Brad Holmes just got his Chris Long @Lions 🔥🔥👏👏
“Brad Holmes just got his Chris Long,” Orlovsky tweeted with some happy emojis.
If the Lions were to get Long out of Hutchinson, that would be an excellent outcome. The lineman won a pair of Super Bowls, put up 332 tackles and 70 sacks in the NFL. He is also descended from NFL royalty in Howie Long and was a Walter Payton Man of the Year winner. Hutchinson seems just as tough and ready to take on the league.
Should Hutchinson become a Super Bowl winner in Detroit, lots of fans would be over the moon. If he’s like Long, that would represent a solid career.
Analyst: Hutchinson Represents ‘Value’ Pick for Lions
The draft didn’t have to wait long to see a value pick. When Hutchinson didn’t go first-overall, it represented a situation where the Lions were able to hang back and find value with the second pick. ESPN analyst Field Yates quickly pointed out that the Lions nabbed an early value by nabbing Hutchinson.
It’s rare for a player to be a massive value at pick number 2 overall.
But Aidan Hutchinson is exactly that. Immediate contributor, massive upside, will be a perfect fit with what Detroit is building.
“It’s rare for a player to be a massive value at pick number 2 overall. But Aidan Hutchinson is exactly that. Immediate contributor, massive upside, will be a perfect fit with what Detroit is building,” Yates tweeted.
Rarely if ever are values found so fast after a single pick is made, but in Hutchinson, Detroit could have landed the draft’s best player simply by being patient.
Hutchinson’s College Stats & Highlights
In terms of Hutchinson, several Lions fans will also likely know what he is capable of given his career at Michigan, and the defensive end has put up some solid numbers in school already. Coming into this season, Hutchinson collected 94 tackles, 3.5 sacks and 3 forced fumbles. Here’s some of his work from the past:
This year, his work has been even better. Hutchinson has put together a stellar regular season with 14 sacks, 58 tackles and 2 forced fumbles. He’s looked like one of the best defenders in college football throughout the second half of the season and has been a problem for whatever teams have lined up against him thus far.
Hutchinson becoming a member of the Lions is special for the legions of fans who also root for Michigan. There is a great chance that he could turn out special when all is said and done.
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