Aidan Hutchinson wins Big Ten defensive player, defensive lineman of the year

Michigan edge-rusher Aidan Hutchinson came back to Michigan to reset the culture after a 2-4 season. Hutchinson told the media in July that the now 11-1 Michigan team had more energy, more juice — and Hutchinson provided a lot of the spark that turned everything around.

On Tuesday, Hutchinson was rewarded for his stellar play this season, winning the Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year Award, as well as being named the Big Ten Defensive Lineman of the Year.

Hutchinson has 13 sacks on the season, which leads the Big Ten and is a Michigan record. Pro Football Focus now has Hutchinson listed as the No. 1 prospect in the 2022 NFL Draft, something Jim Harbaugh fully agrees with.

“I’d also have the same message for NFL scouts and teams that if there’s a better player out there that’s draft-eligible than Aidan Hutchinson, I have not seen that player,” Harbaugh said. “I can tell you what I have seen is every single down he plays, he doesn’t take a play off. Quite the opposite, and he’s the same way in practice. Athletically, strength, speed. He’s gonna check every single box on and off the field. I don’t know who has the first pick in the draft, but they should be studying very thoroughly Aidan Hutchinson and they should take him.”