Steelers trade up with Broncos to take linebacker Devin Bush at No. 10

The Pittsburgh Steelers traded with the Denver Broncos and selected linebacker Devin Bush out of Michigan with the 10th overall pick in the 2019 NFL Draft.

Pittsburgh was rumored to be interested in moving up the draft board and, with Bush, has selected the likely successor to injured linebacker Ryan Shazier.

The Broncos move down to No. 20 overall and acquire the 52nd overall selection and a 2020 third-round pick.

Prospect profile

School: Michigan
Height: 5-11
Weight: 234 lbs

Strengths

• All elements of elite athletic score appear on field
• Excellent pursuit speed and angles for unlimited range
• Instincts to quickly diagnose a play and take off
• Shows ability to work through traffic, take on blockers, and shed to make a play
• Good feel for zone coverage and has athletic ability to run with backs and tight ends
• Effective and productive when used as a blitzer

Weaknesses

• Doesn’t have tackle production of typical top linebacker prospects
• Missed tackles need to be cleaned up
• Size will limit his position fits in NFL

Bottom line

Bush is a little small by league standards, and he'll need to clean up the occasional missed tackle. That's about where the list of potential concerns stops. With an elite athletic profile, instincts, an ability to drop into coverage, and better-than-expected proficiency taking on blocks and working through traffic in run defense, Bush is the perfect every-down linebacker for today's NFL. His size may limit him to a weakside role where he can be kept clean to run and chase, but there's value in that and he could be among the league's best.