When Aidan showed up for preseason camp in ninth
grade, he was 6' 1" and 155 pounds. By the time he gradu-
ated high school, he’d grown five inches and gained about
100 pounds. He was a four-star prospect who drew atten-
tion around the Midwest, but there was never much doubt
where he would go.
Despite being the son of a star player, Aidan still had a lot
to learn at Michigan. Other than effort, Chris didn’t critique
much. He waited for his son to come to him to really dig into
the details of defensive line play—footwork, handwork, the
subtle arts of a savage game.
“I look back now at all the things I didn’t know in high school
and I’m like, How do you hold back all that information?” Aidan
says. “But it was pretty cool of him to do. I don’t know how
our relationship would have developed if he was constantly
correcting me or telling me what to do. I’m grateful for that.”
Hutchinson started to f lourish as a sophomore at Michigan,
recording 4 ½ sacks and 10 tackles for loss. Firmly on NFL
radars, he delivered two productive performances to start
his COVID-19-shortened junior season. Then he fractured
an ankle in the third game, at Indiana.
Harbaugh says that after the game, Chris Hutchinson
told him that Aidan would be back for his senior season;
he wasn’t going out with a 2–4 half season and so many
unfulfilled goals. His father won four Big Ten championships
and never lost to Ohio State; Aidan had neither of those things.
“I really haven’t accomplished anything,” he said last year.
Once the ankle healed and he was cleared medically to
resume workouts, he went to strength coach Ben Herbert with
a simple but steep request: “Every day I come in here, wring
me out. Squeeze every ounce of talent out of me.”
Thus began the most intense offseason of Hutchinson’s
life, and it benefited everyone. He got better, but so did
workout partner and fellow defensive end David Ojabo—to
the point that Ojabo’s breakout season put him in the first-
round discussion (even after a torn Achilles at his pro day,
Ojabo is expected to crack the top 50). Plugging those two
into new defensive coordinator Mike Macdonald’s system,
they combined for 25 sacks (14 by Hutchinson, 11 by Ojabo).
Hutchinson was the Heisman Trophy runner-up, the
highest a Michigan player has finished in the voting since
Charles Woodson won it in 1997. The team success he hun-
gered for came as well, with an upset romp of Ohio State, a
Big Ten title, a 12–2 record and the Wolverines’ first berth in
the College Football Playoff. His work in maize and blue was
complete. “Everything that I set out to achieve, I did,” he says.THERE IS JUST one problem with being a 100-percent
guy. It comes with the perception that success is due solely
to effort. It suggests a compensation for lack of physical tal-
ent. This was the context surrounding Hutchinson headingThis year’s quarterback class lacks the
blue-chip prospects of recent years,
but these five could break into Round 1A MENTION
IN PASSING
A stout (6' 1⁄2") power thrower,
Willis also earns high marks for
character. However, the learning
curve is steep after playing in
Liberty’s rudimentary offense.MALIK WILLIS
LIBERTYCorral has the arm talent, quick
release and athleticism to create.
But a slight frame limits his rushing
ability, and his lack of size and
pocket presence are concerns.MATT CORRAL
OLE MISSPickett lacks any elite trait, but
he has above-average size, arm
talent, athleticism and played in an
offense at Pitt that featured a lot
of NFL concepts.KENNY PICKETT
PITTSBURGHRidder is a bit of a project, but he
has good size and athleticism. He
made huge strides over the past
two seasons when it comes to the
nuances of the position.DESMOND RIDDER
CINCINNATIHis short stature (6' 1") and
confidence draw Baker Mayfield
comparisons. Howell’s accuracy
can be shaky, but he brings more
value than Mayfield as a runner.SAM HOWELL
NORTH CAROLINAJE
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