Hometown boy makes good.
When Michigan pass rusher Aidan Hutchinson was taken by the Lions with the No. 2 overall pick of the 2022 NFL Draft, it was something of a homecoming: Hutchinson was born and raised in Michigan, and stayed in state to go to college, too.
Hutchinson's dad, Chris Hutchinson, was a standout for Michigan, and his offspring decided that he was going to follow in his footsteps to become the next Wolverine great.
MORE: When will Jameson Williams play for the Lions?
That said, Hutchinson's stint with the Lions isn't exactly a matter of a lifelong fan playing for his boyhood team. In fact, pretty far from it.
Here's what to know about Hutchinson's roots in Michigan:
Where is Aidan Hutchinson from?
- Hometown: Plymouth, Mich.
- High school: Divine Child High School (Dearborn, Mich.)
Hutchinson was born in Plymouth, Mich., a suburb of Detroit. He attended high school at Divine Child High School in Dearborn, Mich., which is also just outside of Detroit.
One would think, being born and raised just outside of Detroit, Hutchinson may have ended up a Lions fan by default. That's actually not the case; Hutchinson (22), grew up through the heart of the Patriots dynasty.
“You know, growing up, it was hard being a Lions fan,” Hutchinson told the hosts. “The Lions have been struggling for a while. I actually grew up a Patriots fan with Tom Brady and stuff like that. So, I never really loved the Lions too much. But, hey, if they pick me, they’re getting it all."
The Lions have had just five winning seasons since Hutchinson has been alive and have never made it past the Wild Card round of the playoffs during that time. One can't fault Hutchinson for latching on to the winning horse.
Where did Aidan Hutchinson go to college?
Hutchinson stayed in state to go to college: He was recruited by Jim Harbaugh and wound up going to Michigan.
As a four-star recruit, Hutchinson had offers from LSU, Michigan State and Wisconsin, among other schools. He also visited Notre Dame.
Also adding to the decision was the fact that Hutchinson father, Chris Hutchinson, played at Michigan between 1989 and 1992. He was named a first-team All-American in 1992.
Aidan Hutchinson college stats
Hutchinson didn't exactly blow up until his senior year at Michigan. In total, he had 17.5 sacks over 34 games, with most of that damage coming in his breakout senior season at Michigan.
Here's how his numbers break down:
| Year | Games | Tackles | Sacks |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2018 | 7 | 12 | 0.0 |
| 2019 | 13 | 69 | 3.5 |
| 2020 | 2 | 13 | 0.0 |
| 2021 | 14 | 62 | 14.0 |
Obviously, Hutchinson's stock skyrocketed because of his final year at Michigan, and it earned him a number of accolades in 2021, as well:
- First-team All-American;
- First-team All-Big Ten;
- Nagurski-Woodson Defensive Player of the Year;
- Lombardi award;
- Smith-Brown Defensive Lineman of the Year.
All of that resulted in the No. 2 overall selection — and hopefully a franchise cornerstone, too.
