Steelers LB Devin Bush set on proving he belongs
By Bryan Perez
Steelers first-round pick Devin Bush will be one of the biggest rookie difference-makers in the 2019 NFL season.
The Pittsburgh Steelers defense hasn’t quite been the same since losing LB Ryan Shazier to a devastating spinal injury in 2017. His athleticism and range on the second level gave Pittsburgh a distinct advantage against opposing offenses, and they may have gotten that edge back with this year’s first-round pick, Devin Bush.
The former Michigan standout was selected by the Steelers at No. 10 overall and is already staking his claim as one of the leaders on defense, something that was on display at the team’s rookie minicamp.
More from NFL News
- Did the Bears Do Enough for Justin Fields this Offseason?
- Looking Back at Desmond Ridder’s College Skillset
- Dalton Kincaid Impresses Early into Bills Training Camp
- Has Bill Belichick Done Enough Through the NFL Draft?
- Looking Back at Sam Howell and his College Skillset
“I just wanted to be vocal the best I could and trust what I see, whether I was right or wrong,” Bush said via NFL.com. “I know concepts already, I just got to learn the language — different things they call, different things they speak. I just got to get familiar with the playbook, get familiar with the language and get confident in my play-calling.”
Bush was an absolute force over his last two seasons as a Wolverine, totaling 172 tackles, 18.5 tackles for loss and 10 sacks since 2017. He dazzled at the 2019 NFL combine when he ran a 4.43 40-yard dash and solidified his status as one of the elite defensive prospects in the class.
Bush will be a three-down difference-maker for Pittsburgh and has as good of a chance as any of his classmates to pull some hardware as defensive rookie of the year by season’s end.
Until then, he has one simple objective.
“[Showing] why I belong here, why I belong in the NFL, that I’m going to play here for a long time.”