Aidan Hutchinson is better than you think
Great article in the Athletic by Nick B. Get a subscription. It's well worth it. Here's the intro
https://theathletic.com/3569625/2022/09/09/aidan-hutchinson-detroit-lions-michigan-football/
There’s a thing that happens when people watch Aidan Hutchinson play football up close — like, really watch him — for the first time. It’s as inexplicable as it is consistent. The clarity emerges that Hutchinson is better than they assumed.
It’s a phenomena that has followed the new defensive hope of the Detroit Lions since he first buckled a chin strap, long before anybody knew or cared who he was. The occurrence has been noted and harnessed, turned to fuel for an engine that burns with the precision of a doctor and the awareness of an artist.
“I love the kid, he’s relentless,” Lions assistant general manager Ray Agnew, smiling ear to ear about Hutchinson’s potential, said recently before getting to the heart of our tale.
“And a much better athlete than you thought he was in the draft process.”
Lions general manager Brad Holmes, also smiling, added: “We pretty much knew he was a high-floor player. … And there are some things that he’s shown that I think some people didn’t even know that he had.”
Beneath the whole package that has become Aidan Hutchinson — the decorated local product who will make his Lions debut Sunday versus the Philadelphia Eagles — exists a battle between two extremes.
One-half grizzly bear. One-half spiritual guru. Gasoline and tranquility.
Complicated and, at times, very tough to figure out. A quiet person when he needs to be quiet. A loud person when he needs to be loud. Someone who hears and sees everything — to a point that it can make others nervous, perhaps even unsettled to the point of questioning reality.
“I think,” Lions defensive line coach Todd Wash began earlier this summer, “he’s a better athlete than I thought he was.”
One extreme of Hutchinson’s personality could be seen during the second half of Michigan’s win over Ohio State last season. The Heisman Trophy finalist literally screamed at OSU’s offensive line to shift its entire protection at him before he de-cleated a tackle in his most viral college play. The other showed up after that game, when Hutchinson — wearing an exuberant smile, signature eye-black smeared across his face — told reporters that he’d recently manifested the victory in a dream. He’d mentally committed himself to the goal of beating Ohio State in his sleep. When he woke up, Ryan Day was doomed.
September 9th, 2022 at 8:31 AM ^
That got my day going better than a cup of coffee.
September 9th, 2022 at 8:34 AM ^
If our guy is actually better than we all thought he was, then he's going to crush every pro ball obstacle the same way he crushed 'em in college ball. This is going to be fun to watch, yes!
September 9th, 2022 at 8:35 AM ^
and just like that ..... eddie munster's hopes of hanging a hundo fell by oh..... 73%
September 9th, 2022 at 9:11 AM ^
42.27%
September 9th, 2022 at 12:43 PM ^
As a youth and now as an adult.
September 9th, 2022 at 1:11 PM ^
LOL ! Thank you for that.
September 9th, 2022 at 8:49 PM ^
I see Seth MacFarlane with an extra chromosome.
September 9th, 2022 at 8:48 AM ^
I'll be watching Sunday!! 7-8 wins will be a great start to the rebuild and Aidan will be at the heart of it.
September 9th, 2022 at 8:51 AM ^
Aidan has a knack for ruining Ryan’s day
September 9th, 2022 at 8:59 AM ^
Go Divine Child Falcons!!!
September 9th, 2022 at 6:32 PM ^
My alma mater!
September 9th, 2022 at 9:01 AM ^
Hutchinson read The Secret.
September 9th, 2022 at 9:02 AM ^
"Gasoline and Tranquility" sounds like the title to Metallica's next single.
September 9th, 2022 at 9:06 AM ^
He's like Superman... without the kryptonite.
September 9th, 2022 at 9:08 AM ^
He is easily my favorite Michigan football player since Denard.
I actually feel compelled to watch the Lions on Sundays now just to watch him play out there
September 9th, 2022 at 9:20 AM ^
i was thinking that too.... but i'm gunna thro Chase Winovich in there also
September 9th, 2022 at 12:26 PM ^
Throw in two heaping tablespoons of Devin Bush and I'm there.
September 9th, 2022 at 11:25 AM ^
When kids go to bed, they check under their bed for the boogeyman.
When CJ Stroud goes to bed, he checks under his bed for Aidan Hutchinson.
September 9th, 2022 at 2:33 PM ^
Reminds me of the time I hid under MeanJoe07's bed.
September 9th, 2022 at 9:16 AM ^
Already thought Aidan was pretty darn great, with an exceptionally great motor. Special.
September 9th, 2022 at 9:29 AM ^
It amazes me that people are surprised by his athleticism. Are they fixated on some single measurement? Several of his combine numbers were off the charts.
You'd think he was a try-hard late-round pick from MSU with a 3-star 247 ranking.
September 9th, 2022 at 12:11 PM ^
NFL scouts aren't just stupid, they're stupid. Like, Heisman voter levels of stupid.
https://www.nfl.com/prospects/aidan-hutchinson/32004855-5409-9869-e552-bb07ce41f012
- Pure muscle mass might be maxed out.
- Below-average arm length along the edge.
- Run-game instincts are just average.
- Plays the game in pieces rather than a continuous flow.
- Grapples rather than rids defender as quickly as possible.
- Segmented in mirroring change of direction within the play.
- Upfield burst in his rush won't bother athletic tackles.
- Needs to find a counter more quickly when stalemated.
This was after he took on the #1 pass protector in the country and sent him flying backwards.
September 9th, 2022 at 2:22 PM ^
Do scouts have assistants? That looks like something an assistant wrote without doing much research.
September 9th, 2022 at 2:34 PM ^
Jemele Hill wrote that.
September 10th, 2022 at 11:19 AM ^
The scene from Moneyball comes to mind, where they're scouting players based on nonsense, the ball just flies off his bat, has a beautiful swing, has an ugly girlfriend, etc.
September 9th, 2022 at 1:10 PM ^
I don't know, he kind of pales in comparison to others. His outlook is a little hazy and milky. It's like the complexion of his make-up is more clear so people don't see everything about him.
Or, some NFL football people simply don't expect a tall white dude to be athletic.
September 9th, 2022 at 9:31 AM ^
Will see if Hutchinson's zen can stand up to the black energy spread by the Lions for 50+ years. That is some powerful long-term Juju to overcome. Wouldn't it be amazing and unreal if a true Michigan man could lead the Lions out of the darkness?
September 9th, 2022 at 9:39 AM ^
let myyy
people...
goooooo!!!!
September 9th, 2022 at 1:08 PM ^
Well, he's already performed one miracle. He's made Lions fans optimistic.
September 9th, 2022 at 2:23 PM ^
Lions fans are optimistic every year before the first game. That is the problem.
September 9th, 2022 at 2:55 PM ^
I've been a Lions fan for as long as I remember (Wayne Fontes with Barry Sanders, good old days?). I lost optimism a long time ago.
Hutchinson willing Michigan to a win over OSU, I can believe that could be possible. Making the Lions good, now THAT would be impressive.
September 9th, 2022 at 9:54 AM ^
Once upon a time the Pittsburgh Steelers were a family-owned franchise that did nothing but lose ever since its founding in 1933 by Art Rooney.
Eventually, whether by design or accident, in 1969 Rooney hired a guy who knew what the hell he was doing, and by 1974 the Steelers were Super Bowl champions, 41 years after Rooney founded the team.
I am NOT saying that Dan Campbell is Chuck Noll—I still suspect Campbell is basically a meathead who's very good at hype—but it's really too early to have a definitive answer, so it's theoretically possible.
The key will be how well the Lions draft—Noll was a genius at talent identification and acquisition.
September 9th, 2022 at 10:36 AM ^
Campbell is definitely more than a meathead that is good at hype. At a minimum, he is a respected leader of men - I think the total transformation of team culture in less than 20 months is proof of that.
Now, whether he can identify and develop elite talent or actually coach a team to the Super Bowl, those are obviously open questions.
September 9th, 2022 at 10:44 AM ^
Exactly this - in '69 Noll drafted a hall of fame defensive lineman. Then hit on a hall of famer in '70, '71 and '72. Then they drafted 4 of them in the '74 draft. Wow are the Lions in need of just such a run.
September 9th, 2022 at 10:52 AM ^
This! This! and This! Almost any dim wit can draft a 1st round pick (let alone a top 10 pick). But Super Bowl champions are made with hitting on your draft picks in teh 3rd - 5th rounds....
Latest examples"
Oruwarlye (PSU) - 5th round
Barnes (Purdue) - 4th round
St Brown (USC) - 4th round
Side note: foe those who did not see Hard Knocks, St. Brown listed all 16 WR that were drafted ahead of him. Just a little thing that shows what is fueling him to prove that he is actually one of hte better WR in the league..
And this past drafts example
Rodriguez (Okla St) - 6th round - this kid is going to be good....
This is how you build a team, picking up solid players in the mid to late rounds of the draft to go with the Hutchinson's and Sewell picks....
September 9th, 2022 at 9:41 AM ^
Short of injury, there is basically zero chance that he isn’t successful in the NFL. Probably one of the hardest workers and most dedicated technically to his craft of any player I’ve seen in a long, long time.
If there was a futures bet on who would have the best career of: Walker, Hutch, and Thibedeaux, I would back a Brink’s truck up for Hutchinson
September 9th, 2022 at 9:52 AM ^
The Jags will regret passing on him - probably as early as some point this season.
September 9th, 2022 at 11:29 AM ^
It was the annual decision of "Finished Product vs. The Upside."
I'm assuming Trayvon Walker has higher upside, probably has a more prototypical NFL body, but did not produce at the same level as Hutchinson did. Which is remarkable considering Walker was part of one of the all-time great college defenses.
Entirely possible that Hutchinson goes on to have a better NFL career. I really hope he does, but time will tell. Both of these guys are going to historically moribund franchises so they're going to have a lot to overcome.
September 9th, 2022 at 9:55 AM ^
Warlord 1a.
September 9th, 2022 at 9:59 AM ^
As good as Hutchison is will it be enough to offset Goff?
September 9th, 2022 at 10:05 AM ^
Probably not. My hope is that they are just bad enough to grab one of the good qb's coming out next year.
September 9th, 2022 at 11:34 AM ^
That's also the hope of Brad Holmes... I'm really not sure that any of the other 47 GM's I've known the Lions to have had would have been able to get rid of Matt Stafford and get the payoff that Holmes got.
September 9th, 2022 at 12:44 PM ^
I actually think Goff can be pretty good. I look around the league and I think he is/will be better than anywhere from 14-18 starting QBs. If it’s the latter, that’s enough to work with.
September 10th, 2022 at 12:03 AM ^
my thought, too. he is serviceable, even if not a superstar.
September 9th, 2022 at 10:16 AM ^
Rookie of the year candidate.
September 9th, 2022 at 10:26 AM ^
I have watched the Redwings, Pistons, Tigers and Liverpool all win championships. I have watched Michigan win a National Championship in both football and basketball. The only thing left would be to see the Lions win the Super Bowl, but honestly I would take a playoff win at this point.
September 9th, 2022 at 10:37 AM ^
Same. Michigan hockey, too. Living on the east coast, people are astounded when I tell them the Lions have one playoff win in my lifetime (and I am over 50!).