Last season, Aidan Hutchinson was predicted to have a breakout season in Michigan. However, following a fracture leg that saw his season cut short, Hutchinson returned to the Wolverines for his senior season. The Michigan Wolverines have been playing competitive football this season, due in part to Hutchinson. In this 2022 NFL Draft scouting report, we’ll breakdown how Aidan Hutchinson will translate to the NFL, as well as what makes him one of the best edge rushers in this class.
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Aidan Hutchinson 40 Time
I have Aidan Hutchinson pegged to run in the 4.68 40 time range. As an edge rusher, I believe that Hutchinson is capable of playing defensive end in a 4-3 defense or an outside linebacker in a 3-4. If he plays defensive end in the NFL, Aidan Hutchinson has an above average 40 time. However, if he’s selected to play outside linebacker, his 40 time would be average at best. On film, Hutchinson has fantastic quickness off the edge to beat offensive tackles and tight ends and disrupt the pocket. However, I’m not quite sure if he has the lateral agility and top end speed to play consistently in zone coverage.
Aidan Hutchinson Injury History
Poised for a huge breakout season in 2020, Aidan Hutchinson had his season cut short due to a fractured leg. Hutchinson saw action in the first three games for Michigan before the injury, which required surgery. However, NFL scouts will be happy to find that there are no other injuries in Aidan Hutchinson’s past, so the medicals should be a green light.
Aidan Hutchinson Scouting Report
Pros
- Quickness Off The Edge To Regularly Beat Tackles And Tight Ends
- Possesses Great Strength To Bull Rush And Drive Through The Offensive Line
- Very Aggressive Hand Placement To Stun Competition And Pressure Pocket
Cons
- Poor Ability To Diagnose Read-Option And Attack Ball Quickly
- Inconsistent Ability To Tackle Ball Carriers In The Open-Field
- Adequate Awareness At Line Of Scrimmage To Locate And Attack Ball
Aidan Hutchinson is a four-year player for the University of Michigan. He typically plays defensive end for the Wolverines, although he’s also served in an outside linebacker capacity. Possesses good height and weight for the position. Has good quickness off the edge to beat tackles and tight ends on a consistent basis. Displays excellent strength to power his way through the offensive line to disrupt the quarterback and collapse the pocket. He’s a high motor player that plays to the whistle and gives maximum effort. Good range and quickness to attack the quarterback on delayed blitzes.
Violent hand usage gives him the ability to stun the offensive linemen and collapse the pocket. Possesses a solid ability to shed blocks at the line of scrimmage and attack the ball carrier on inside runs. Uses good timing on twists and stunts to keep the offensive line guessing on pass rushing attempts. Finally, he does a great job of setting the edge and forcing the ball outside.
However, Aidan Hutchinson struggles to consistently identify the ball on read-option and play-action. Displays adequate awareness to locate eligible receivers in the flats when rushing off the edge.Poor ability to diagnose designed runs and attack the ball behind the line of scrimmage. Needs to show improvement on tackling the ball carrier in the open-field.
Aidan Hutchinson NFL Draft Projection
Ultimately, I have a late-first round grade on Aidan Hutchinson in the 2022 NFL Draft. I think he’s likely to play 4-3 defensive end in the NFL. I have Hutchinson listed as the 4th overall EDGE rusher on our 2022 NFL Draft Top 200 Big Board. I’d like to see him play in the Reese’s Senior Bowl where he could focus solely on diagnosing plays behind the line of scrimmage by way of NFL coaching. Additionally, I’ll be paying close attention to his on-field performance at the NFL Combine in March.
I firmly believe that Aidan Hutchinson will be a productive defensive lineman from day one in the NFL. His strength and quickness off the edge are borderline elite, and should be the same on Sundays. If I’m an NFL defensive coordinator, however, I’m keeping him in the trenches and limiting his reps out in space.
