Aidan Hutchinson, Not Sauce Gardner, Should Be DROY
Detroit Lions rookie Aidan Hutchinson should be named the 2022 Defensive Rookie of the Year over Sauce Gardner of the New York Jets.
Hutchinson, the No. 2 overall pick in the 2022 NFL Draft, logged 9.5 sacks, 52 tackles, 53 quarterback pressures, nine tackles for loss and three interceptions.
In comparison to Joey and Nick Bosa, who both were named the AP DROY, Detroit's talented rookie secured very similar statistical marks in his debut campaign in Motown.
- Joey Bosa: 12 games, 41 tackles, 10.5 sacks, seven TFL, 59 quarterback pressures, one forced fumble
- Nick Bosa: 16 games, 47 tackles, nine sacks, 16 TFL, 80 quarterback pressures, two forced fumbles
Lions head coach Dan Campbell expressed the ex-Wolverines lineman certainly lived up to his end of the deal all throughout 2022.
"If you’re asking me to cast a vote, yeah, I would cast a vote (for Hutchinson)," said Campbell. "But, I don’t know all the ins and outs of everybody else. But, for our value, absolutely.”
Additional reading: Detroit Lions 2023 Offseason Roundtable
Hutchinson not only was an impactful member of Aaron Glenn's defense. Some of his statistical accomplishments had never been accomplished before in the history of the NFL.
In 2022, Hutchinson was the first rookie in NFL history to record nine-or-more sacks, three interceptions and two fumbles.
Prior to Hutchinson, only Richard Dent had accomplished this feat before in a single season.
Following the conclusion of the Lions' season, Hutchinson was named Defensive Rookie of the Month for December/January, the second time he won the award this season. He earned the award in November, too.
Gardner did not earn any Defensive Rookie of the Months awards in his debut season, and did not match Hutchinson's interception total.
Many pundits, who will likely cast their vote for Hutchinson, point out the sheer number of impactful plays made by the Lions' energetic lineman.
According to The Draft Network, "Hutchinson has made some of the most impactful contributions to his team of any defensive rookie so far this season. If his stats, including the fact that he has one more interception than fellow DROY front-runner (and cornerback) Sauce Gardner, weren’t enough to show that, his ability to disrupt plays consistently up front and generate chances for his teammates should only further bolster his case."
