Detroit Lions second-round pick Derrick Moore missed Aidan Hutchinson’s presence at the University of Michigan by just a single year. But the minute he stepped on the field, he was already chasing Hutchinson’s shadow. That started with trying to catch Hutchinson’s single-season program record of 14.0.
“Yeah, that was definitely one of my goals, trying to get to that single-year sack (record),” Moore told DetroitLions.com’s Tim Twentyman. “Unfortunately, I finished with 10.”
That last sentence shows
just how competitive Moore is. Finishing his senior season with 10 sacks is no consolation prize; it’s a legitimate accomplishment. That’s especially true when put in its fuller context. In Hutchinson’s record-setting 2021 season, he played 794 snaps across 14 games, or 56.7 per game. Last year, Moore was a rotational player, playing 440 total snaps—or about 37 per game. To come that close to Hutchinson’s benchmark while playing about 44% fewer snaps is fantastic.
Even though the two will now be finally playing together on the same defensive line in Detroit, Moore is still treating Hutchinson as friendly competition.
“Even being across from him now, I’m just trying to compete with him at the same time, because now it’s like, ‘Alright, who is going to be the fastest to get to the quarterback?” Moore said.
Being on the same team as Hutchinson is going to come with its benefits. Hutchinson is certainly going to draw some extra attention from opposing offensive lines. Last year, Hutchinson was chip-blocked 22.2% of the time—the third-highest rate in the NFL. Those extra resources devoted to slowing Hutchinson should leave Moore with ample one-on-one opportunities to let his pass-rushing chops shine.
Hutchinson will also serve as a great sounding board for the rookie defensive end. Moore said he’s already learned a lot from Hutchinson from his tape and the little amount of time they’ve already spent together. But he’s eager to see that relationship—and their productivity—grow.
“To be a part of this defensive unit with him, I’m looking forward to learning a lot from him, grow with him, and also dominate with him,” Moore said.
They’ll have their first opportunity to see what they can do together during organized team activities later this week, albeit without pads. Still, it’ll be the first step towards improving upon a Lions pass rush that finished last season 30th in time to pressure.
