Aidan Hutchinson to return for senior season

Michigan defensive end Aidan Hutchinson was off to a good start to the season in 2021. He recorded 8 tackles in the season opener vs. Minnesota, then had 7 versus Michigan State the next week. That production came to a screeching halt in Week 3 when Hutchinson broke his leg against Indiana. One of the most vocal players in regards to playing a fall season now had to get surgery and his season was over.

Instead of heading to the NFL, Hutchinson announced on Monday afternoon that he will be returning to Michigan for his senior season.

“Not quite done yet— I’ve decided to forego the NFL and return for my senior year,” Hutchinson said on social media. A year more of college football to fine-tune his skills and giving scouts game film to prove he’s recovered from the broken leg could prove to be a wise decision by Hutchinson. By returning to Michigan there’s a strong chance he’ll be a higher draft pick in 2022 than he would have been if he decided to head to the NFL right now.

Hutchinson’s presence, on the field and as a leader, will be helpful to the Michigan defense in a variety of ways. How precisely Hutchinson will be utilized will be something to keep an eye on, as he’ll have a new defensive coordinator in 2021 after the firing of Don Brown.