At Saturday night's Heisman Trophy ceremony, Michigan head coach Jim Harbaugh said he believes defensive end Aidan Hutchinson will be the first overall pick in the 2022 NFL draft.

Sure, Harbaugh is biased. But that doesn't mean he's wrong.

In a draft cycle where there doesn't appear to be a clear-cut QB prospect worth taking first overall, Hutchinson has emerged as a viable candidate to land in the top spot. In 13 games this season, he's had 14 sacks, three passes defended, two forced fumbles and one recovery and was a singularly dominant force in the Wolverines' win over rival Ohio State.

Hutchinson finished a distant second for the Heisman behind Alabama's Bryce Young. But Hutchinson finished ahead of two quarterbacks — Pitt's Kenny Pickett and Ohio Stroud — which is a pretty big statement itself. Only the fifth defensive lineman to be a Heisman finalist, Hutchinson tied Pitt's Hugh Green (second, 1980) for the highest Heisman placement in the voting at the position in the past 60 years.

But defensive linemen, especially pass rushers, being drafted first overall is nothing novel. The two most recent examples are Jadeveon Clowney in 2014 and Myles Garrett in 2017. Several more have gone in the top three overall picks.

For months, the favorite to go first overall was Oregon's Kayvon Thibodeaux — and he still could. But Hutchinson's extremely strong finish to his season not only boosted his Heisman stock but also his candidacy to be drafted first.

The Hutchinson-Thibodeaux debate is going to be an interesting one to track. Even if Jim Harbaugh's mind is made up.