The Heir to the Steel Throne
Let’s be very clear, no one can replace Ryan Shazier, not as a football player, as a communicator, and most importantly, as the teammate and person that he is. The fact that he can once again walk, jog, and now jump is truly remarkable. I speak for Steelers Nation when I say I hope his rehabilitation ends with the opportunity to pursue everything he wants in his life.
This isn’t a replacement story, though. This is a post about succession and handing down the torch.
Devin Bush is a Pittsburgh Steeler.
The Steelers selected the 5’11” 234 lb linebacker out of Michigan with their first-round pick on Thursday night. They traded up ten spots to pick 10 to land him, giving Denver their second-round pick Friday, and a third-round pick in 2020.
They went and got their guy.
With Bush comes an infusion of athleticism and tenacity that the Steelers have been missing since Shazier went down with his injury and James Harrison moved on. He plays with his hair on fire and is a true sideline to sideline player.
For reference, here is how Devin Bush compares to Ryan Shazier coming out of rival college Ohio State:
Devin Bush did everything for the Wolverines in 2018. He excels in finding the football and closing on it with his elite speed. He is more than competent in coverage, able to re-route receivers and stick to hips in man coverage.
The Tape
Range
Devin Bush’s top trait is his range. He moves from sideline to sideline effortlessly, and finishes his tackles with tenacity as a result.
Here Bush fights off a block, and still makes the tackle across the field before the sticks. When Bush makes the right read and pursuit angle, there are not many players that will slip away.
Again, Bush makes a perfect read and makes a huge goal line stop.
He chases Miles Sanders down with ease.
Read and React
Another of Bush’s more impressive traits is his ability to process screen plays and blow them up before they are able to develop. Below are two cases where Bush makes great read and react plays:
Now, Bush isn’t perfect, but prospects never are. Bush has moments where he makes poor reads and angles to the football. This effectively takes him out of plays that could otherwise be made.
Here Bush gets caught over-pursuing and leaves a monstrous hole for the running back to run through. Bush is unable to close on the running back, and the play results in a touchdown.
Here Bush just misplays his pursuit angle and gets caught behind a teammate and unable to make a play on the ball.
Pass Coverage
With his athleticism, Bush can do a multitude of things in the passing game. He has shown the ability to play man coverage on tight ends and does well covering the middle of the field in zone coverage.
Bush drops to his zone and makes a play on the ball, not only forcing an incompletion, but secures the interception as well.
Despite being under six-foot, Bush gets hands on everything thrown over the middle. The Steelers need more turnovers, Bush can help create them.
Finally, Bush’s ability to click and close on routes causes a big 4th down stop. This goes back to his previously mentioned read and reactions and the elite athleticism that he carries with him.
The only downside to Bush in coverage at times is the angles he takes in man coverage and his eyes getting caught in the backfield looking at the quarterback.
Bush gets caught here looking to help the outside route, then is unable to flip his hips and keep hands on the tight end. The quarterback gets through his progressions and finds Bush’s man across the middle.
On this wheel route Bush just takes a poor initial angle and can’t recover.
Blitzes
A big part of Ryan Shazier’s success with the Steelers was the defense’s ability to keep him clean at the first and second level. If Shazier was able to avoid blocks and make plays with his athleticism, the defense ran on all cylinders. Much is the same with Devin Bush. Often times a guard would get hands on Bush and eliminate his presence from the play, as seen below.
Much was the same with blitzing. Bush gets lost in the line of scrimmage if he can’t come free off the edge or through the line unblocked.
But when he’s free to make plays? Well, I’ll just leave you with these plays that go hand in hand with the opening video:
Steelers’ fans should be excited. Devin Bush is truly a player that can step into this defense and make plays day one. He is a motivator, a great teammate, and embodies the Pittsburgh Steelers ways.
There is a new heir to the Steel Throne.