When the Detroit Lions selected EDGE Aidan Hutchinson out of Michigan with the No. 2 overall pick in the 2022 NFL Draft, the hope was that he was going to come in and be a difference maker for the defense right out of the gates.
Hutchinson started his first NFL game on Sunday against the Philadelphia Eagles and he found out very quickly that he is not going to be able to just show up and dominate.
In fact, according to Pro Football Focus, Hutchinson had a grade of 56.3, including an abysmal tackling grade of just 27.6, on Sunday against the Eagles.
Dan Campbell says Aidan Hutchinson got a ‘true test of the NFL’ against Eagles
On Monday, Detroit Lions head coach Dan Campbell spoke to reporters and he said he is not to worried about Aidan Hutchinson even though he struggled in his debut.
“The takeaway I had, and I think we all had, was okay, this is what it’s like,” Campbell said of Hutchinson. “This is the true taste of the NFL. Adjusting to that caliber athlete in a full game. Now, there’s certainly some things to where it looks like he’s got to make that play, but he needs a little help too. If we rush and close the edge a little bit then it boxes in that space between where he’s at and the quarterback. So there’s a little bit of that too, but yeah, honestly I’m not too worried about him.
“He’s gonna adjust from this. He’s a pro, and you already know that about him as a rookie. I think we all do, so he’s gonna want to get better himself.”
Nation, are your expectations for Aidan Hutchinson lower now that you have seen him play in a real game? They shouldn’t be!
