Entering his third season, and really going back to the Pro Bowl Games in February, Detroit Lions defensive end Aidan Hutchinson is raising the bar for himself and embracing the expectations around the team.
So far in training camp, Hutchinson has been a force to be reckoned with. New defensive line coach Terrell Williams, during an appearance on 97.1 The Ticket this week, had high praise for the second overall pick in the 2022 draft.
"Aidan Hutchinson is better than I thought," Williams said. "Much better than I thought. He’s a guy that’s a grinder, great leader, but he’s trying to learn football. A lot of times you get a guy who’s been a Pro Bowl player, No. 2 overall pick, but this guy has an undrafted free agent mentality where he feels like he’s gotta work to get better and make this football team."
Williams couldn't have known how Hutchinson is wired before working with him. But a strong impression has clearly been made very quickly. It's fair to say that strong impression is mutual, as Hutchinson said Williams has helped bring "revitalized energy" to the Lions' defensive line.
Aidan Hutchinson wants the pressure to be on him when it counts
The Lions' lack of edge rusher presence opposite Hutchinson last season is well-known, and ideally it will be corrected this year. Last season, only Micah Parsons had more quarterback pressures (according to Pro Football Focus) than the Lions' star. It's a matter of turning those pressures into sacks more consistently. Five of Hutchinson's 11.5 sacks in the regular season last year came over the last two games.
So it's no surprise that Hutchinson feels like he's got another level in him as his third season nears. He also knows the high expectations he faces, and he is embracing the spotlight that is naturally going to be on him.
"And I feel like this year," he said," it’s a different mentality coming into camp. I know I’m the guy. I know I’m the guy that people are going to rely on, I’m the guy that is going to face the most expectations and pressure, and I’ve really learned to embrace that. That’s been the biggest difference in my mentality."
"When it’s the 4th quarter and someone’s gotta make a play and everyone’s looking at me, I say bring it on."