Michigan Football: Devin Bush could be Rookie of the Year with Steelers

The Pittsburgh Steelers traded up in the 2019 NFL draft to pick former Michigan football star Devin Bush Jr. and it will prove to be a wise move.

There are some things that just seem meant to be. Devin Bush Jr., a former Michigan football player going to the Pittsburgh Steelers seems like one of them.

There were rumors circulating Thursday afternoon ahead of the NFL draft that the Steelers were looking to trade up and even though there was no reporting suggesting it was for Bush per se, it made perfect sense.

We all know the tragic story surrounding Ryan Shazier. Thankfully, he is doing better and continues to inspire us all, but the Steelers never really replaced him on the field.

That is until Pittsburgh traded up 10 spots in the draft, giving the Denver Broncos three picks including the 20th pick and a 2nd-rounder to draft Bush, making the 2018 Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year, the first Michigan football player picked in the top 10 since Jake Long went No. 1 overall to the Dolphins back in 2008.

Leading up to the draft, Bush, who had 18.5 TFL and 10 sacks the past two seasons for the Wolverines, saw his stock rising rapidly. Many analysts believe he is one of the elite prospects in the draft and Louis Riddick of ESPN called him the best player in the draft. That’s strong praise.

Bush is a 5-foot-11 thumper that is also going to be a three-down player. He’s physical and tough enough to take on an offensive lineman in the run game in addition to being able to cover. He has a knack for knifing into the backfield and getting 10 sacks is an exceptional number for an inside linebacker.

On top of all that, Bush is an incredibly smart player and he will be the anchor of the Steelers defense in the middle for the next 10 years. With the aggressive scheme in Pittsburgh, you could see Bush putting up good sack numbers just as Shazier used too.

Yet, he will also improve the Steelers run defense and he won’t need to leave the field on third down because he has the speed to cover backs and tight ends, as well as hold his own in zone coverage. His one interception and 11 pass breakups are two more examples of how he can hold his own.

Bush was one of the most well-regarded prospects in this draft because he has elite athleticism, which matches his elite production. Additionally, he’s incredibly passionate about the game and you won’t have to worry about his motivation. He is also tremendously consistent, an underlooked trait.

Certainly, he is going to play right away in Pittsburgh next season and with the way linebackers generally adapt quickly to the NFL, it wouldn’t be the least bit surprising to see Bush contend for or even win Defensive Rookie of the Year.

When the trade was announced, neither the NFL Network or ESPN needed to announce the pick. Everyone watching already knew it was Bush.

Sometimes things just make sense and Bush as a Pittsburgh Steeler is one of them.