Devin Bush Selected 10th by the Pittsburgh Steelers in the 2019 NFL Draft

by
Former Writers
April 25, 2019

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Devin Bush Selected 10th Overall by the Pittsburgh Steelers in the 2019 NFL Draft

The Pittsburgh Steelers traded up with the Denver Broncos, selecting Devin Bush 10th overall.

Devin Bush started his college career as a four-star recruit for the Michigan Wolverines, rejecting a scholarship from his father’s alma mater, the Florida State Seminoles. Bush appeared in every game as a freshman and garnered a reputation as the hardest-hitting player on the team. He then enjoyed a breakout sophomore year, winning the starting inside linebacker job and flourishing.

Bush recorded 10 sacks and 95 total tackles, earning him First Team All-Big Ten and Second Team All-American honors. While his numbers dipped to 8.5 sacks and 66 total tackles in his junior season, Bush was even more impactful as a leader. He was named captain of the team and went on to win Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year and Big Ten Linebacker of the Year. Bush was also awarded Consensus All-American honors and made the First Team All-Big Ten a second time.

Devin Bush: Strengths & Weaknesses

Devin Bush is a prototypical athletic freak of an inside linebacker. Bush had an incredible combine, recording a 4.43-second 40-yard dash, a 40.5-inch vertical, and a 4.23-second 20-yard shuttle. His play style is very reminiscent of an inside the box safety, but he’s a natural inside linebacker. Bush flies all around the field making plays and is even able to garner a pass rush when needed.

In terms of comparisons, he plays very similarly to Jerome Baker, former Ohio State and current Miami Dolphins starting middle linebacker. While not nearly as much of a ball-hawk as Baker, recording only one interception in his career, Bush is able to make plays across the field due to his unbelievable athleticism.

The downsides with Bush are that his physical traits don’t always show up on tape. He has troubles in coverage and is often out of position when making tackles. Bush has the ability to become a great middle linebacker, but still needs to put the work in to fix his problems. The talent is there and it’s easy to see why he has been touted as one of the best linebackers in the draft. However, he does still have flaws in major areas of his game.

With dedication and the right coaching, though, he can become an elite level linebacker in the NFL. Going forward, the Steelers will look to mold Bush into a star.