Dearborn native and Michigan product Aidan Hutchinson wasn't a Lions fan growing up, for the same reason they were able to draft him second overall Thursday night: they weren't very good.
But Hutchinson knows their story. He knows the depth of their struggle -- 64 years and counting without a championship, 30 years and counting without a playoff win. And he knows how much they mean to his fellow Michiganders.
So asked Wednesday what it would be like to land with his hometown team, Hutchinson told NFL Total Access, "It would be crazy."
"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. But also, if we were to start winning in Detroit, it could be special, for sure," Hutchinson said.
Fresh off setting Michigan's single-season sack record, Hutchinson should be a boon for a Lions defense that produced the third fewest sacks in the NFL last season. He has also spoken highly of Dan Campbell and "how he treats his players."
"Just a couple more pieces to the puzzle and I think they can be a really good football team," Hutchinson said earlier this offseason.
Brad Holmes, Dan Campbell and the Lions were clearly sold on Hutchinson. They wasted little time submitting their pick after the Jaguars took Georgia defensive lineman Travon Walker first overall.
"I do it all, on and off the field," Hutchinson said. "I'm extremely athletic and I produce obviously on the field: I had 14 sacks last year. 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."
If he checks them for his hometown team, even better.
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