Aidan Hutchinson takes shot at Jaguars over draft decision

Nov 24, 2022; Detroit, Michigan, USA; Detroit Lions defensive end Aidan Hutchinson watches the game against the Buffalo Bills in the third quarter at Ford Field. Mandatory Credit: Lon Horwedel-USA TODAY Sports

Aidan Hutchinson could have been the No. 1 overall pick in April’s NFL Draft had the Jacksonville Jaguars seen fit to take him there. They did not, and Hutchinson seems to remember why.

Hutchinson will face the Jaguars this week as a member of the Detroit Lions, eight months after the Jaguars passed on him to take Travon Walker first overall. Hutchinson said Thursday he expected to land in Jacksonville, and suggested he did not go there because his arms were too short.

Aidan Hutchinson told me he thought he was going to Jacksonville until his agent called him and said it wasn’t happening about a week before the draft. “Guess my arms were not quite long enough,” he said, laughing.

“We’ll see if that inch or couple of inches was the difference.”

— kyle meinke (@kmeinke) December 1, 2022

The Jaguars passed on Hutchinson to select Walker with the first pick. Though Hutchinson was the more productive college player, Walker’s athleticism and physical traits stood out to the Jaguars. That left Hutchinson to the Detroit Lions at No. 2.

Walker has 2.5 sacks as a rookie, while Hutchinson has 5.5 along with two interceptions. That might not tell the whole story, but the Lions will certainly be pleased that Hutchinson fell to them, regardless of arm length.