Notes: Aidan Hutchinson on being a Lion ‘I don’t know if it has set in yet’

As mandatory minicamp comes to a close, rookie and homegrown talent Aidan Hutchinson is still having a tough time believing he gets to wear the Honolulu blue.

“I don’t know know if it has set in yet, to be honest with you. ...I’m here, I’m a Detroit Lion. Like growing up, it’s just the weirdest thing thinking back to when I grew up and stuff and now I’m here,” he said.

Having grown up in Plymouth and then played college ball next door in Ann Arbor at the University of Michigan, Hutchinson’s never had to stray far from home. The streak continues as he begins his rookie campaign for the team he grew up watching. Becoming a professional football player is nothing he’s taking lightly.

“It’s definitely one that a lot of kids grow up wanted to be it, and not many get to so having this opportunity is one that I’m not going to take for granted,” he said.

Reflecting on Detroit Lions mandatory minicamp, Hutchinson said he’s got this defense down and now he’s working on getting it committed to muscle memory. But it’s a different league, he says, and that’s taken plenty of adjustment.

“It’s a different tempo, a different game, to be honest with you, compared to college — one that I’m getting used to and I’m feeling good with, so far,” he said. “The pace of the game, the plays you get, the tempo — everything kind of hits just a split second faster.”

As he’s learning and growing, Hutchinson said he prides himself on not making the same mistake twice.

“That's how I know I’m going to keep this upward trajectory of just continuing to learn and grow every single day I’m out here,” he said. “I can really feel it too. Everyday I’m learning something new and I’m screwing up but it's okay because that’s kind of what it takes to take that next step.’

As expected, Hutchinson is soaking in everything he can from the veterans around him. Specifically, linebacker Charles Harris.

“He works so hard and I just see him getting the extra work and I try to — whenever he does something, he pushes me to do more so I definitely look up to him and I admire his work ethic,” he said.

And onto the rest of your notes.

• Sadly, former Lions (and Buccaneers) offensive tackle Rocky Freitas has died at the age of 76. He earned All-Pro honors in 1972 while playing for Detroit.

• The Detroit News’ Bob Wojnowski says this time each year it’s the same riddle — what flashes of brilliance and hype around the Lions is real, and what’s not? ($)

• Yes please.

• “He’s capable of some pretty precision passes, but he’s also been skittish in some big moments.” CBS Sports’ Cody Benjamin decided to rank all 16 NFC quarterbacks and Jared Goff is not last. I mean, he’s close but he’s not last. As you might expect, Goff was also near-last on PFF’s ranking of last season’s starting QBs by their deep passing performance.

• FYI:

• “Williams is an electric talent, a wide receiver so gifted that he might have been the first player taken at that position had he been healthy.” NFL.com’s Jeffri Chadiha names Jameson Williams the most intriguing player of Lions minicamp.