Tag: Devin Bush Jr.

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It doesn’t matter if you’re a veteran, a rookie or somewhere in between, you can be a standout in fall camp if you take some initiative once you see the practice field.

In Pittsburgh then, while our sister site SteelersWire notes common names like Ben Roethlisberger are making an impact in training camp, it’s no surprise that second-year middle linebacker Devin Bush Jr. — the former Wolverines standout — is also making a strong impression.

The second-year inside linebacker has made a multitude of standout plays since pads came on. On a deep pass, Bush kept pace with McFarland down the field, stayed in position, and batted the ball away in the end zone for an incomplete pass. On another rep, Bush made a pass breakup against McFarland deep down the field. The two speedsters have been paired up multiple times in practice this week.

This week, Bush told the media that he worked on his movements to be more efficient at the point of attack. In an 11-on-11 drill, Bush perfectly read a screen play and defeated the blocker to immediately tackle the ball carrier as the pass was caught.

After praising Bush for the shape he came to camp in, Tomlin gave his  linebacker a challenge: “I’m looking for that step to be revealed in the quality and the amount of his communication, and he still has room for improvement in that regard.”

Bush had a solid rookie season in the NFL, but still has some work to do to become the bona fide household name he was in Ann Arbor.

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The Steelers traded up to get him with the No. 10 overall pick in the 2019 NFL Draft, and while he had solid production — leading the team in tackles while adding two interceptions — he surprisingly only had one sack in his first season.

However, like he did at Michigan, Bush has showcased his sideline-to-sideline speed nearly every down he’s on the field.

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Though some people on a national level (very, very, very few) didn’t think Devin Bush was going to amount to much at the pro-level, Michigan fans knew better.

And now Steelers fans are beginning to know it, too.

While his rookie season in Pittsburgh wasn’t quite as impressive as his final year in Ann Arbor, the former Michigan standout — well — still stood out as he started learning the ropes at the NFL level. Though he only had one sack in 16 games, he led the team in both solo and combined tackles, had two interceptions and had mostly good game-to-game grades by PFF with only a few exceptions.

Given that players tend to get better going from year one to year two, and our sister site SteelersWire is starting to get amped about Bush’s potential, as it penned a column on Friday entitled: ‘Opposition beware: Steelers ILB Devin Bush is just getting started.’

Some highlights:

Armed with his innate ability to read plays and react quickly, Bush became the first Steelers rookie to lead the team in tackles (109) since the stat began to be tracked in 1994. As a linebacker, Bush finished the season tied for the league lead in fumble recoveries (4) and sixth in interceptions (2).

In 2020, those expectations are elevated, and Bush aims to exceed them.

“Last year I came in, just went in and played and learned as things came to me,” Bush said in a Friday press conference. “But now I have a pretty good idea of what I wanna get done, where I can get better as a player to help this team win.”

Bush added that he would like to be more efficient with his movements. Based on last season, it’s clear he possesses sideline-to-sideline speed; it’s now just a matter of taking more decisive routes to the ball.  

“I’m not saying my movements were bad, but just playing in the system I played in in college and switching to another system in the league, things have to change,” said Bush. “I had to get leaner. I had to train differently. I think I’ve done a good job of that.”

Bush’s work this spring laid the groundwork for what has been a strong training camp so far.

SteelersWire went on to highlight how much more comfortable Bush is getting in his role as a defensive play caller and how his competition with offensive rookie Anthony McFarland — the former Maryland standout — is helping make him better, using the familiar term, ‘iron sharpens iron.’

Especially without a Big Ten season this fall, I think many Michigan fans would be happy to, for now, embrace ‘Devin Bush SZN.’

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When you make it to the big leagues, especially if you’re a first-round NFL Draft pick, you have a lot of resources available to you to make your life and home a reflection of you.

So, former Michigan linebacker Devin Bush Jr., who the Pittsburgh Steelers picked at No. 10 overall in the 2019 NFL Draft took full advantage.

Bush had an extensive custom mural painted from the stairwell of his home down to the basement, which included visages from both his time at Michigan, as well as with his new team, Pittsburgh.

It’s something of a dream home for football fans, especially those of Steelers or Wolverines fandom.

Check it out below:

This Pittsburgh artist turned Devin Bush's basement into something crazy 😮 @_Dbush11 @steelers

(via @Cody_Sabol)pic.twitter.com/7qGlHqFtIN

— The Checkdown (@thecheckdown) March 26, 2020