Lions don’t waste any time, take Michigan DE Aidan Hutchinson with 2nd overall pick

Most teams take their time to turn in their first-round NFL draft pick. They want to get some air time. When the Detroit Lions went on the clock with the second overall pick, “the pick is in” appeared shortly on television screens.

There was no need for the Lions to hesitate. They had to feel fortunate that Michigan defensive end Aidan Hutchinson fell in their laps.

The Lions took Hutchinson, a star at the University of Michigan, with the second overall pick almost immediately after they went on the clock. It’s the type of pick that most Lions fans will love immediately, due to Hutchinson’s talent and his in-state ties.

The Jacksonville Jaguars took Georgia edge rusher Travon Walker with the first overall pick. Hutchinson was considered the favorite to go first overall for more than a month, but that changed this week. Hutchinson, who played in nearby Ann Arbor and finished second in the Heisman Trophy voting last season, was suddenly available for the Lions.

There was some thought that the Lions could take Oregon defensive end Kayvon Thibodeaux, another great college pass rusher. Passing on a Wolverines star might have caused some angst among Lions fans. In the end, the Lions made the pick everyone thought they’d make after it became apparent Hutchinson would fall to them.

Hutchinson can help a defense that needs some pass-rush juice. He’s the type of player second-year coach Dan Campbell can build around. The fact that he’s a Michigan man is just icing on the cake for the Lions. Detroit got its preferred target, and it didn’t take any time for the Lions to made the decision.