For the Lions, the decision was simple. After the Jaguars took Georgia defensive lineman Travon Walker with the No. 1 pick in the NFL Draft Thursday night, the Lions took the star pass rusher from down the street No. 2: Aidan Hutchinson.
"They just made a great decision," Hutchinson said on stage shortly after the pick was announced.
The Dearborn native and Michigan product should instantly boost a defense in Detroit that produced the third fewest sacks in the NFL last season. In his final season for the Wolverines, Hutchinson was Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year and a runner-up for the Heisman.
Now he's a cornerstone of the Lions' future, a pillar for what Brad Holmes and Dan Campbell are trying to build in Detroit.
On top of his athletic traits, Hutchinson has the intangibles Campbell's looking for. He's a hard-nosed, high-motor player who attacks every snap. He should fit seamlessly into the Lions' locker room.
As for his talent, Hutchinson racked up 14 sacks last year to break Michigan's single-season record. He also earned the highest overall defensive grade in the country and the highest pass-rushing grade among edge defenders from Pro Football Focus.
"I do it all, on and off the field," Hutchinson said Wednesday. "I'm extremely athletic and I produce obviously on the field. And coming from a Michigan team that went 2-4 my junior year, I really had to step up as a leader and be that cornerstone of the football team. So I think in terms of leadership, athletic ability and production, I check all the boxes."
Though he was born and raised in the area, Hutchinson didn't grow up a Lions fan. The son of another legendary Michigan pass-rusher Chris Hutchinson, he preferred Tom Brady and the Patriots. But Hutchinson likes the idea of playing in his backyard -- and he knows what it would mean to help turn the long-suffering local franchise into a winner.
"Especially the things that I did at Michigan, if I were to go home back to Detroit, be close to family, it would make the transition easier," Hutchinson said. "But also, if we were to start winning in Detroit, it could be special, for sure."
His mission starts now.
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