The Jaguars will pick Hutchinson first overall

By: Natalie Miller

With the recent signings that the Jacksonville Jaguars have made in offensive guard Brandon Scherff, wide receiver Christian Kirk, and tagging left tackle Cam Robinson, all signs seem to be pointing to edge rusher at the number 1 pick in the upcoming 2022 NFL draft.

The question becomes, which edge rusher may that be? I am firmly in the camp that Jacksonville should and will target Michigan university’s Aidan Hutchinson over someone like Kayvon Thibodeaux or recent riser Travon Walker.

Hutchinson during his last year at Michigan dominated college football, producing 14 sacks, 2 forced fumbles, and 16.5 tackles for loss. He helped carry a plain dominant Michigan defense all the way to the college playoffs before getting bounced by eventual national champion Georgia Bulldogs.

There’s constant energy from Hutchinson, whose pursuit of the quarterback could be described as harassment and pure love for the game of football and his Michigan teammates. It’s obvious he turns it up in the big moments and his motor seemingly never stops. Every down comes off like it’s the last of his career. A motor like this cannot be taught but it’s something Hutchinson has and will make Jacksonville secure with taking him.

His play strength and adjustment speed are evident on tape, where he is able to use his power to lure the tackle into a solid base before exploding off the edge. He also excels at pushing inside the tackle using his raw strength and motor to slide inside and throw the offensive line off balance. In the run game he is able to be patient and use his strength to fill the gaps and diagnose where a runner will end up before shoving through, he was almost unstoppable in that regard, a true linebacker on the edge.

There is more to his raw pass-rushing skills and ferocious nature to Hutchinson, he has high football intelligence as well, as he was one of the primary play callers on the Michigan defense. He was able to call out offensive plays and adjust, while also helping his fellow defensive lineman get into whatever position they should be in. Helping more raw players like David Ojabo enters the mix and be put into a good position to succeed. It is fairly rare to get that kind of leader on the defensive line, as defensive play-callers are typically held for the mike linebacker, but that is just a testament to the type of effort and study that Aidan Hutchinson put into his craft during his time at Michigan that lead to his meteoric rise.

A good pro comparison almost seems a bit too obvious, but I liken him a lot to Nick Bosa coming out of Ohio State as their burst and motor are awfully similar. Teams just struggled to keep up with the ferocious nature of both Hutchinson and Bosa. Now does Hutchinson have quite the same grade as Bosa? No, Bosa was a more talented and consistent player coming out, but then the production and playstyle match up nicely.

Hutchinson is the exact type of player Jacksonville needs to take the next step in the NFL, a ferocious winner with a non-stop motor who will inspire his teammates and make calls at the line. He is the perfect fit for the number 1 overall pick and Jacksonville should not make the mistake of passing him up.