Expectations were high for Michigan Wolverines football junior defensive end Aidan Hutchinson, a preseason third-team All-American pick, entering the 2021 campaign, and he's exceeded them halfway through the season.

Hutchinson, who's accumulated 24 tackles, six stops for loss, 5.5 sacks (ninth nationally), three quarterback hurries and one forced fumble, has been named a midseason All-American by ESPN.com.

RELATED: Mid-Season Report Card: Grading Michigan's Offensive Position Groups

RELATED: Michigan RB Donovan Edwards: 'When My Time Comes, I Can't Look Back'

He's been the most key piece on a resurgent Michigan unit that ranks ninth nationally in scoring defense (15.5 points per game) and 23rd in total defense (310 yards per contest).

"A two-time captain at Michigan, Hutchinson is leading a revived defense that has helped the Wolverines get off to a 6-0 start," ESPN.com's Mark Schlabach wrote. "A senior from Plymouth, Michigan, Hutchinson is ninth in the FBS with 5.5 sacks. PFF's data says he ranks seventh in the country with a 29.7 percent pass rush win rate. He is PFF's highest-rated edge defender with a grade of 92.7."

He's also posted elite PFF marks in pass rush (92.1), run defense (86.2). and tackling (82.4), while generating 30 pressures (five hits and 20 hurries), according to the analytics site.

Not only is Hutchinson registering big numbers himself, but he's freeing up his teammates. Look no further than redshirt freshman outside linebacker David Ojabo, who is second on the team with 14 pressures, per PFF, and 4.5 sacks.

"You can't [block him]," a smiling Ojabo said on Big Ten Network Wednesday. "There's no other way around it — you really can't block him. Double-team him, triple-team him — I guess that's the only response.

"It's Aidan, all attention is going to be on him — 'How do we stop him?' So if they put two guys, three guys on him, somebody else has got to make a play. The other guys on defense gotta rise up to that and, when the opportunity comes, take that."

Hutchinson is one of five Big Ten players on the midseason All-America team, joining Michigan State running back Kenneth Walker III, Iowa center Tyler Linderbaum, Iowa cornerback Matt Hankins and Penn State safety Jaquan Brisker.

Here is a look at the full team:

• Alabama QB Bryce Young

• Michigan State RB Kenneth Walker III

• Texas RB Bijan Robinson

• USC WR Drake London

• North Carolina WR Josh Downs

• Coastal Carolina TE Isaiah Likely

• Alabama OT Evan Neal

• Kentucky OG Eli Cox

• Iowa C Tyler Linderbaum

• Boston College OG Zion Johnson

• NC State OT Ikem Ekwonu

• Michigan DE Aidan Hutchinson

• Georgia DT Jordan Davis

• Arkansas DE Tre Williams

• Georgia LB Nakobe Dean

• Alabama LB Will Anderson

• Utah LB Devin Lloyd

• Arizona State LB Darien Butler

• Iowa CB Matt Hankins

• Cincinnati CB Ahmad Gardner

• Notre Dame S Kyle Hamilton

• Penn State S Jaquan Brisker

• Wake Forest K Nick Sciba

• San Diego State P Matt Araiza

---

• Talk about this article inside The Fort

• Watch our videos and subscribe to our YouTube channel

• Listen and subscribe to our podcast on iTunes

• Learn more about our print and digital publication, The Wolverine

• Sign up for our daily newsletter and breaking news alerts

• Follow us on Twitter: @TheWolverineMag, @Balas_Wolverine, @EJHolland_TW, @JB_ Wolverine, @Clayton Sayfie, @anthonytbroome and @DrewCHallett

• Like us on Facebook