With the No. 2 overall pick in the 2022 NFL Draft, the Detroit Lions selected EDGE Aidan Hutchinson out of the University of Michigan.
When a player is selected with the No. 2 overall pick, the expectation is that he is going to come in and make and immediate on the field.
But, as we know, the NFL is much different from college and sometimes it takes a bit of time to get acclimated.
Aidan Hutchinson talks about his first training camp with Detroit Lions
Earlier this week, Aidan Hutchinson appeared on the “Moving the Chains” show on SiriusXM NFL Radio and he talked about his first training camp with the Detroit Lions.
“We’re about a little over a week in now and we’ve got the pads on already. So, it’s going great,” Hutchinson told hosts Pat Kirwan and Jim Miller. “I’ve been learning a lot. I feel like I’ve been improving drastically every single practice. So man, I’m excited to keep on going.”
Hutchinson noted that the talent level in the NFL is “different” than it was in college.
“The talent level is just, it’s just different. Especially with the offensive line that we got, and me going against all those guys. It’s getting me a lot better,” he said. “Definitely, I think going against the talent of that offensive line and kind of guys are more savvy in the NFL. So, you got to adjust to it. But, I feel like I’m really adjusting quickly and I feel like I’m just starting to find myself a little bit and I’m excited.”
“I think I came out of the draft as one of the most polished prospects, just being I’m super ready to play,” Hutchinson said. “I can learn our defense very quickly. And, I’m very coachable. So, if there’s new techniques that I’m learning right now — I’m trying to adjust very fast on the fly and I’m able to do those things. That’s the kind of player that I am. So, I think that’s why I can really fit into this system, especially this being a lot different than my Michigan system my senior year. So, I’m able to mold into any different system.”
“Linemen get a lot better about getting away with holding and finding little ways to hold you back when they’re (officials) never going to call it. But, you got to find ways as a defensive line to be better and to adjust to all the linemen here that sneakily hold and it’ll never be called. So, it’s definitely different, but I feel like I’ve really gotten used to it.”
Hutchinson added that he is very confident in the Lions defense, though it took him some time to get used to the playbook.
“I’m feeling very confident in the defense,” he explained. “Definitely at first in OTAs, I wasn’t struggling, but it was mentally, it’s tough always. Always when you’ve got to learn a new defense and everything’s called a different thing and you got to run and do a different technique when things become so molded over time. So, definitely it took some getting used to, but I feel like right now I’m very confident in the playbook.”
“Everyone in my circle right now, they know. They know I’m off to work and they know I’m completely locked in,” Hutchinson commented. “I’m on the task at hand. So, I really don’t have too many people bothering me at home. You know, people talk about the old friends or whatever and that being a distraction, but everyone knows — everyone in my circle at least knows what I’m doing right now. And they know to just give me a little space because we got we got some work to do.”
Nation, what are your expectations for Aidan Hutchinson as a rookie?
