The 2019 NFL Draft will be a great event for teams to start building for their future. The Game Haus will be doing scouting reports on some of the top prospects in the 2019 NFL Draft. Michigan linebacker Devin Bush has declared for the 2019 NFL Draft and will not play in Michigan’s bowl game.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_OYE-OMpy7k&t=6s
Background
Position: Linebacker
Class: Junior
2018 stats: 66 total tackles, 8.5 tackles for loss, 4.5 sacks, four passes defended
Size: 5-foot-11, 234 pounds
Bush was the leader of the Michigan defense for the last two seasons. For his play in 2018, he was named to the AP All-America second team. He has been banged up in recent games and is, therefore, skipping Michigan’s bowl game against Florida to prepare for the NFL Draft.
Michigan has had many talented prospects on the defensive side of the ball over the last two seasons and Bush has still managed to stand out. As a Wolverine, Bush has 172 total tackles, 18.5 tackles for loss, 10 sacks, one interception and 11 passes defended. Bush is a fast linebacker, who uses his speed to always be around the ball. Being one of the best players on one of the best defenses over the last two seasons definitely improves Bush’s chances of being drafted early in the 2019 NFL Draft.
At the NFL level, Bush will be valuable because he can play all three downs with his ability to cover. He is undersized, which hurts his stock, but NFL evaluators can’t deny his talent. Bush should expect to be drafted within the first few rounds of the NFL Draft due to his speed and play-making ability.
Strengths
Bush has a quick first step and tremendous speed for a linebacker. This helps him get the jump on plays and be able to pursue ball carriers to the perimeter of the field. Bush routinely runs around blockers to get to the ball carrier and make the play. He also demonstrates great closing speed when he is in coverage. When he gets to the person with the ball, he is able to show good tackling ability.
One thing that lets Bush play even faster is his good football IQ and intelligence. He will routinely know what to expect out of a play with good play recognition. Bush trusts his instincts and they usually allow him to follow out his assignment or make the play on the ball. In addition to this, he takes good angles to the football.
As a new age linebacker, Bush will be able to cover. He was matched up on running backs, tight ends and wide receivers in college and held his own a lot of the time. His great speed allowed him to keep up with anyone he was covering as well as his decent technique.
He is effective when blitzing, especially on delayed blitzes, because he uses his speed to get around blocks. Bush will often not be touched and get to the quarterback.
Weaknesses
Bush’s biggest weakness is getting off blocks because of his limited length and strength. If an offensive lineman gets his hands on Bush, he usually isn’t able to shed the block and get to the ball. Michigan used him as a blitzer, but often times used him on delayed blitzes to make sure the offensive line was already engaged. Against the run, Bush will take odd angles to get around blockers because he can’t shed the blocks.
For the next level, Bush will need to add strength to be really effective. This will help him shed blocks and do a lot more for a defense. The offensive linemen will be more athletic and more able to get their hands on him, which will limit his effectiveness. When going up against bigger targets in coverage, Bush is often times the victim of push-offs. While those plays are missed penalties a lot of times, he has to find a way to play through it.
At Michigan Bush also didn’t show a knack for big plays. He had just one interception, which is abnormally low for a linebacker that regularly was in coverage. Bush also never forced or recovered a fumble in his career that had him see action in 32 games.
Projected Draft Range: First round pick
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