Detroit Lions coach Dan Campbell on Aidan Hutchinson: 'He's everything that we're about'

Detroit Lions rookie minicamp is in the books, and former Michigan defensive end Aidan Hutchinson was a standout. The 2021 Heisman Trophy runner-up was the No. 2 overall pick in last month’s NFL Draft and one of two first-rounders taken by the Lions, who moved up to select former Alabama wide receiver Jameson Williams at No. 12 overall.

Many believed the Lions, desperate for a pass rusher, were deciding between drafting Hutchinson and former Oregon EDGE Kayvon Thibodeaux. Lions head coach Dan Campbell revealed over the weekend that it was all Hutchinson once Jacksonville went with Georgia‘s Travon Walker No. 1 overall.

“Everything was predicated on Jacksonville, and we were prepared for whatever move happened, but we couldn’t get the call in fast enough once they didn’t take Aidan,” Campbell said, alluding to the Lions being reprimanded by the NFL for not waiting longer to submit the pick. “So it worked out great. It was perfect.”

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The Plymouth, Mich., native is exactly what the Lions were looking for — on the field, off the field — and not just because he’s a local player, having grown up in the area and attended Michigan, Campbell noted.

“He is a perfect fit for us,” the coach said. “He is everything that we’re about, and he matches us perfectly. It just so happened to be that he was in the backyard. It wasn’t because of that, but that’s icing on the cake there, that he was right down the road. I just feel like it was meant to be, and he belongs here. When you’re gonna pick guys, particularly that high, they better fit everything you’re about — and he does that.”

The former Michigan star is no “floater,” Campbell said, something the Lions, under new leadership, are trying to avoid.

“We’ve always said, we’re gonna get the type of guys that match what we’re about,” Campbell said. “And that is a gritty group of guys that love ball — and by the way, they’re explosive athletes.

“We are trying to avoid floaters. We don’t want to draft floaters. And a floater is a guy who gets drafted and is just happy to be here, and he’s just kinda, oh, there he goes, he’s in the open ocean, this is great. We want guys that are highly competitive and they love ball.

“And yeah, they’re not going to be perfect. They might not always say the right things. They mean well, but boy, they love ball, and they’ll do anything for it and do anything for their teammates. So in that regard, I’m elated with the guys that we have and keeping the vision with where it’s been and where it’s going.”

Hutchinson isn’t the only Michigan native to have been selected by the Lions. He joins Ferris State offensive lineman Zein Obeid (Dearborn) and Central Michigan wide receiver Kalil Pimpleton (Muskegon) as local products. While that wasn’t a strategy for the organization, Campbell and Co. acknowledge that it’s a plus.

“They understand what it’s like being around here,” Campbell said. “They understand the community, they understand the weather. Whether directly or indirectly, they understand this organization somewhat.

“I think there might be a little bit more of a level of pride to it for those guys because it is kind of home base. I don’t think you pick guys because of that. However, if they line up and you’re looking for a jump ball, you’ll take that jump ball. I would.”

Aidan Hutchinson stands out at Detroit Lions rookie minicamp

Campbell didn’t go into much detail on how the former Michigan defensive end was performing during minicamp, noting a lot of the work is in walk-through format, but he did discuss Hutchinson’s approach to the practices.

“I know this, he’s happy to be just playing ball,” Campbell said. “There are so many things that go into this, especially when you’re where he’s at. These guys get ready, they take the visits, you’re going through all these things that have nothing to do with football and nothing to do with being on the grass.

“I know that he’s just happy to be here, and he’s in a classroom learning football, he’s out there, he’s working with Wash, he’s with the guys in the locker room, and I can tell that’s his domain. He’s happy to be doing that. I think this other stuff, he knows he’s gotta do it, but he knows that’s not what this is about. It’s about ball.”

The Athletic‘s Chris Burke and other local media members were granted access to Lions minicamp, and the writer left impressed with the former Michigan standout.

“No. 2 NFL Draft pick Aidan Hutchinson comes with a reputation of never taking reps off,” Burke wrote. “And that was on display even in this (relatively) relaxed setting. When the D-line was working to the side on agility and bag drills, Hutchinson was popping the tackling dummies at every swipe. After one rep, defensive line coach Todd Wash even came up and tossed an arm around him as if to tell him to keep up the good work.

“It was interesting to watch Hutchinson and second-round pick Josh Paschal go through those agility drills back to back because there was a clear contrast in styles. Both were at max-effort levels, but Hutchinson showed far more bend than Paschal in slicing through the bags.

“That fits the scouting reports and likely usages for the Lions’ rookie defenders. Hutchinson will play almost exclusively off the edge, with an occasional inside rep; Paschal figures to see most of his 2022 snaps as an interior pass rusher (where he won’t need that bend as much), but with the versatility to help elsewhere.”