Steelers LB Devin Bush fills stat sheet in 1st preseason game

The Pittsburgh Steelers traded into the top-10 of the 2019 NFL Draft in order to select Devin Bush, who exploded in his first preseason game.

The Pittsburgh Steelers traded picks with the Denver Broncos in order to move up to the 10th selection in the 2019 NFL Draft, ultimately selecting former Michigan LB Devin Bush.

Despite not having elite production at Michigan — only 66 tackles his final season — Bush impressed scouts and general managers with his tape. His elite speed allowed him to cover sideline to sideline, affecting both the run and pass.

Bush’s debut as a rookie came against the Minnesota Vikings in Week 1 of the 2019 preseason Friday night, and unlike his college days, he was able to put up big numbers in his first NFL game.

Bush made plays all over the field, tallying 10 total tackles in just one half of play for Pittsburgh. Bush’s elite speed and ability to read and react led to several stops near the line-of-scrimmage.

Due to his lack of size — 5-foot-11, 234 pounds— some draft analysts were concerned about his ability to hold up against NFL offensive linemen. Bush certainly put that to rest after mauling one of the Buccaneers’ big-uglies.

A roughing-the-passer penalty kept Bush from adding a pass-deflection to his stat-sheet. The former Michigan linebacker was able to diagnose the play with ease which allowed him to use his speed to come away with the near pick-six.

Ever since losing Ryan Shazier to a devasting spinal injury, the Steelers have struggled at the linebacker position. With the addition of Bush in the draft, it appears those days have come to an end.