Michigan’s Aidan Hutchinson Among Four Heisman Trophy Finalists

The Heisman Trophy is presented annually to the best college football player in the country. And the last time a Michigan defensive player was nominated, they won the national title.

Hutchinson has already been named the Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year and he also won the Grange-Griffin Trophy as the Big Ten Championship game MVP, and now he has his sights set on College Football's biggest prize.

Hutchinson is the only defensive player nominated among the final four announced yesterday by the Downtown Athletic Club of New York City, who will award the trophy this Saturday.

The ceremony will be broadcast live on ESPN at 8pm Saturday from Lincoln Center.

The award has typically been awarded to quarterbacks and running backs, but defensive players have won it. The last being Charles Woodson of Michigan back in 1997, which is also the last year the Wolverines took the National Championship.

The other finalists are all quarterbacks: Ohio State's C.J. Stroud, Pittsburgh’s Kenny Pickett, and Alabama’s Bryce Young.

Hutchinson recorded 55 tackles and 13.5 sacks while leading the Wolverines to the No. 2 spot in the College Football playoff. Plus, his three sacks in their win over Ohio State could easily have won over the Heisman committee.

But Bryce Young is everyone’s pick to win it. His three passing and one rushing TD—were crucial to Alabama’s SEC Championship win. But on the season, the Crimson Tide QB threw for 4,322 yards and 43 touchdowns. What’s even more remarkable? Young did that while tossing only four interceptions.

Ohio State QB C.J. Stroud also had himself a season for the ages. He threw for 3,862 yards and 38 touchdowns—while completing 70.9% of his passes. And, similar to Young, he only tossed five interceptions all year.

Kenny Pickett had 42 passing touchdowns this year—breaking Dan Marino’s record in the process. Look, whenever you’re breaking a Dan Marino record, you know you’re a bad boy!

Aidan is not only a great player, he seems to be a natural leader. He was one of four team captains and it was his idea to honor the victims of the Oxford High shootings at the Big Ten championships, as he talks about in this great interview with NBC's Rich Eisen.