Hutchinson Taken Second, Hill Selected 31st in First Round of 2022 NFL Draft
4/28/2022 8:22:00 PM | Football
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LAS VEGAS, Nev. -- University of Michigan defensive standouts Aidan Hutchinson and Daxton Hill were selected in the first round of the 2022 NFL Draft on Thursday night (April 28), held at Caesars Forum in Las Vegas. Hutchinson was chosen by the Detroit Lions with the second overall pick and Hill earned a selection by the Cincinnati Bengals with the 31st pick. The annual player selection meeting continues through Saturday (April 29).
Hutchinson became the 11th Wolverine to be selected in the top five of a professional football draft and the highest pick since OT Jake Long was the No. 1 overall selection of the Miami Dolphins in the 2008 NFL Draft. He also became the highest-drafted defender in school history. He is the fifth Wolverine to be chosen first or second in a professional draft, joining OT Jake Long (No. 1, Miami Dolphins, 2008 NFL), OT Tom Mack (No. 2, Los Angeles Rams, 1966 NFL), end Elmer Madar (No. 1, Miami Seahawks, 1947 AAFC) and RB Tom Harmon (No. 1, Chicago Bears, 1941 NFL).
Hutchinson is the 33rd Wolverine to be drafted by the Lions franchise, which used very little of their allotted time to keep the Plymouth native and Divine Child High School product close to home for the foreseeable future. He is the third player to be chosen in the first round by the organization, joining OT Jeff Backus (18th pick, 2001 draft) and RB Bob Westfall (5th pick, 1942 draft).
A two-time captain (2020-21), Hutchinson leaves Ann Arbor as one of the most decorated players in school history. He helped create a culture and atmosphere that allowed Michigan to capture the Big Ten Championship in 2021 and become the first team to earn a spot in the College Football Playoff, receiving a bid to the Orange Bowl against eventual national champion Georgia. The Wolverines finished the year ranked third in both national polls.
On the field, Hutchinson led the defensive line with 62 tackles, 16.5 tackles for loss, 14.0 sacks, two forced fumbles, one fumble recovery and three pass breakups during the 2021 season. He was the Big Ten leader and was third nationally in sacks per game (1.0 avg.). In the biggest game of the season, Hutchinson dominated Ohio State to the tune of three sacks and a record 15 quarterback pressures.
Hutchinson was runner-up for the 2021 Heisman Memorial Trophy, becoming just the fourth defensive player in the 87-year history of the award to finish first or second in the final voting. A 2021 consensus first-team All-American, Hutchinson won the Lott IMPACT Trophy, the Rotary Lombardi Award, Ted Hendricks Award and was the co-recipient of the 2021 Mayo Clinic Comeback Player of the Year. He earned All-Big Ten first team honors and collected the Nagurski-Woodson Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year and the Smith-Brown Big Ten Defensive Lineman of the Year. Hutchinson was voted as the Bo Schembechler Most Valuable Player of the 2021 team.
Academically, he graduated with a degree in applied exercise science. Hutchinson was a 2021 CoSIDA Academic All-American first team and earned Academic All-Big Ten honors three times (2019-21). He was selected as a 2021 National Football Foundation and College Football Hall of Fame Scholar-Athlete and was a finalist for the William V. Campbell Trophy presented to the top student-athlete in college football.
With the No. 2 overall pick in the 2022 NFL Draft, the Detroit @Lions select @aidanhutch97!
— Michigan Football (@UMichFootball) April 29, 2022
The highest-drafted defensive player in Michigan history.https://t.co/oZy2okjMY7#GoBlue ? #ProBlue ? pic.twitter.com/cMawGfwR29
Hill joins the Cincinnati Bengals franchise where two former Wolverines are already in the organization: running back Chris Evans and assistant linebackers coach Jordan Kovacs. Hill is the 15th Wolverine to be drafted by the Bengals and the organization's third first-round pick to previously wear the winged helmet: RB Chris Perry (2004) and CB Leon Hall (2007).
Hill entered the draft after three seasons in the Maize and Blue. He was a three-year letterman who appeared in 33 career games and started 23 contests in the secondary. He amassed 151 tackles during his career, including 7.5 tackles for loss, an assisted sack, three fumble recoveries, four interceptions and 20 total passes defended. Hill posted five or more stops in 17 of his final 22 games, including a career-high 11 tackles against Wisconsin in 2020. In the classroom, he was a two-time Academic All-Big Ten honoree.
A 2021 All-Big Ten first team selection, he shared the team's Defensive Skill Player of the Year Award. Hill started all 14 games in the secondary, finishing second on the team with 69 tackles, 4.5 tackles for loss, an assisted sack, one fumble recovery, two interceptions and a team-best 11 PBUs. He collected five or more stops in 10 of the 14 games.
With the No. 31 pick in first round of the 2022 NFL Draft, the Cincinnati @Bengals select @daxhill5!
— Michigan Football (@UMichFootball) April 29, 2022
??: 2022 #NFLDraft – April 28-30 on NFLN/ESPN/ABC#GoBlue ? #ProBlue ? pic.twitter.com/amHy1Lrhj3
The 2022 NFL Draft continues Friday (April 29) with the second and third rounds. ABC, ESPN and the NFL Network will provide television coverage starting at 7 p.m.
Notes
• The Wolverines have had at least one player selected in 84 consecutive NFL Drafts (1938 to present), continuing the program's NCAA record streak among its peers.
• Hutchinson and Hill are the 50th and 51st NFL first-round pick in school history.
• Hutchinson became the 12th player chosen in the top five picks of the draft (AAFC, AFL and NFL drafts).
• Forty-one (41) players have now been drafted during head coach Jim Harbaugh's tenure (2016-22), including the eight first-round picks.
• Hutchinson is the fourth Wolverine defensive end selected in the first round in the past six drafts: Kwity Paye (2021, Colts), Rashan Gary (2019, Packers) and Taco Charlton (Cowboys, 2017).
• Hutchinson is the seventh Michigan defensive end chosen in the first round of the NFL Draft (1980-current).
• Hill is the second defensive back chosen in the first round during Harbaugh's tenure, joining safety Jabrill Peppers (25th pick of the Cleveland Browns in 2017).
• Hill is the sixth defensive back drafted in the first three rounds during Harbaugh's tenure and the eighth overall defensive back selected by an NFL team.
• Hill is the seventh Michigan defensive back selected in the first round of the NFL Draft.
Michigan Players Selected in the 2022Â NFL Draft (First Round)
| Name | Pos. | Rd. | Pick | Team |
| Aidan Hutchinson | DE | 1st | 2nd |  Detroit Lions |
| Daxton Hill | DB | 1st | 31st |  Cincinnati Bengals |
