Dan Campbell has been a revelation in NFL circles over the last year, and the Detroit Lions coach is becoming well-known as a result even through the college ranks.
Campbell is one of the more passionate coaches in the league as evidence by his emotional press conferences and the love he receives from his players, and that has opened the eyes of one of the top prospects set to hit the 2022 NFL draft in Aidan Hutchinson.
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Joining The Adam Schefter Podcast on ESPN, Hutchinson, a Michigan defensive lineman who could be in play with Detroit’s hypothetical first pick, shared a deep window into the player and person he is. When he was asked about his future in the league with the Lions, Hutchinson didn’t hesitate to single out Campbell as a reason for his potential excitement in the Lions.
“I think Dan Campbell, he seems like a really good guy to me just from the outside. I know you really can’t judge a coach by what he does in the media but just seeing what he does, and how he treats his players, how they won that game last week and his players were all, I mean they’ve got a lot of heart on that team. A couple more pieces to the puzzle and I think they could be really good football team,” Hutchinson told Schefter.
Specifically, Hutchinson was asked about the possibility of being the pick by the Lions with the first selection. As he said, it would be something he would welcome given he would never leave Michigan and things would arguably come full-circle for him as a player.
“I think it’d be great to be honest with you. I’d be the hometown hero times two, never leaving Michigan really,” Hutchinson said.
There’s a long way to go before the draft plays out and rumors persist that the Lions would be more inclined to select Oregon’s Kayvon Thibodeaux at this point. Still, Hutchinson will have his chance later this offseason with the Lions staff, and they could end up as impressed with him as he seems to be with them at this point in time.
Hutchinson Shared Feelings About Potentially Joining Lions
After joining The Wheelhouse podcast with Jake Asman, Cody Stoots, & Brad Kellner on Wednesday, December 8, Hutchinson was asked where he stood on some of the teams he could go to. As he explained, he isn’t picky, and would welcome a move to the Houston Texans if it happened. When asked about the Lions, the Michigan football star was honest in that he didn’t grow up a fan of theirs even coming from the state. Even so, he’d be ready to go if selected.
“It was hard being a Lions fan. The Lions have been struggling for a while,” Hutchinson explained on the show. “I actually grew up a Patriots fan with Tom Brady and stuff like that. So I never really loved the Lions too much. But hey, if they pick me, they’re getting it all.”
Hutchinson could be in play to be selected by the Lions in 2022, so only time will tell. Clearly, however, the prospect would be ready to make a big impact for his new team and might love his coach.
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.
If Hutchinson was to become a member of the Lions, it might be special for the legions of fans who also root for Michigan. It might be special for Hutchinson as well if he gets to play for a coach he is currently admiring from afar.
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