Michigan DE Braiden McGregor reminds fans of former Wolverines great Aidan Hutchinson
You know that you’re living right when you’re drawing comparisons to one of the great players in school history, and Michigan defensive end Braiden McGregor is finding that out first hand thanks to constantly getting compared to Aidan Hutchinson, who is continuing to star in the Mitten State for the NFL’s Detroit Lions after having done so in Ann Arbor.
Michigan DE Braiden McGregor discusses the comparisons that he’s received
While making a guest appearance on a recent episode of “Behind the Uniform” with The Michigan Insider, McGregor talked about comparisons that he’s received to Hutchinson.
“It was just funny that it’s two big white dudes from Michigan that grew up playing the same sports, played the same positions,” he said.
“I might’ve signed Aidan’s autograph on something,” he joked.
But he wants people to be able to tell the difference between him and Hutchinson!
“We got to a point where it was like, ‘We’ve got to figure out some way where people can tell us apart,’” McGregor said. “I’m like: ‘I don’t understand it! I have tattoos; you don’t.’ … I remember one day he came in and he had the goatee, we both had short hair and we looked at each other like, ‘No. Something’s got to change.’”
That being said, McGregor was sure go give Hutchinson props for helping him out early in his college career.
“He took me under his wing. … He treated me like his little brother, so he was hard on me,” McGregor explained.
TL;DR (too long didn’t read)
- Michigan Football defensive end Braiden McGregor has become one of the most important players for the Wolverines
- Over the years, he’s drawn comparisons to former Wolverines great and current Detroit Lions DE Aidan Hutchinson
- Though he initially tried to quell the comparisons, he’s learned to embrace them
Bottom Line:
While he may have been trying to escape the comparisons to Hutchinson, he’s since learned to embrace them. If he carries on, he could soon find himself tearing up the NFL as well.
“Everything I’m trying to do is chase Aidan’s numbers,” he said. “That’s what Coach Herb says: ‘Aidan wouldn’t have done that. Aidan would’ve done this.’ It’s just whispering in your ear while you’re like, doing shrugs: ‘Aidan would have grabbed 180s, not 150s.’”
