Assessing Washington Redskins first-round options: LB Devin Bush
By Ian Cummings
Scouting Devin Bush
You know my support for Devin Bush is genuine. After all, I’m a Michigan State fan. I wouldn’t say these things about a Wolverine unless I felt obligated to tell the truth. Which I do.
The truth is, Devin Bush is quite the player. He offers an enticing skill set, and while there are a few limitations to his game, he’s ultimately a reliable pro prospect with reasonably high upside as an early-to-mid first-rounder. Pro Bowls and All-Pro bids could be in his future, as long as he continues to build on his best qualities.
The staple of Bush’s game? Speed. Bush has a turbo button that very few linebackers have. He shifts gears and accelerates very quickly, and his top speed, quantified by a 40-yard dash time in the low 4.4s, allows him to make plays from sideline to sideline. Bush’s speed is an asset, and he uses it for everything he does. It makes him an effective QB spy, and his range is impressive when covering out routes and flat routes. He can stay with receivers step for step. He has the closing burst to neutralize gaps in pursuit. He’s a homing missile when covering screens. And you’d better not leave him unblocked on the blitz, as he can sneak and sear through seams in the offensive line with ease. Simply put, Bush can cover a lot of ground very quickly, in any context.
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Bush’s speed is a utility that will serve him very well at the next level, but it isn’t his only good trait. Just as he is fast in coverage, from a physical standpoint, he’s also a fast processor mentally as well. He has the awareness to know when to disengage the gaps and sprint to the edge in run defense, and while some can be reckless with their speed, Bush rarely overcommits when he doesn’t have to. He stays calm when a play goes off-script; while some defenders can get caught up in the chaos, Bush remains unfazed.
In coverage, Bush isn’t just fast; he’s nimble. He’s light on his feet, despite his stocky build, and he has the change-of-direction speed to clamp down on fast-developing short routes. His solid route recognition allows him to quickly process developing weak spots for him to supplement. Bush is also quite vocal as the team’s middle linebacker, pointing out areas of importance to his team mates on the fly. Bush isn’t perfect in coverage; he can be a bit late to snap his attention from the quarterback’s eyes to the intended receiver, and he can get tied up on underneath routes, thus falling behind with his recovery. But he has the skills to be very good in this area, and he’s already well on his way.
In run defense, Bush is still solid, but his limitations show a bit more. He packs a punch when engaging blockers, and he gives one hundred percent in trench warfare. That said, Bush isn’t very refined at the line (Not necessarily to be expected from an inside linebacker), and his smallish frame can be overwhelmed by larger blockers. He can take a bit too long to shed blocks, and with his lack of length and surefire power, he’s not consistently imposing. This causes occasional hesitance at the point of attack. He does show flashes of definite strength, but he has a harder time converting it to on-field power on a consistent basis.
Bush also upholds adequacy, but not quite excellence as a tackler. He’s certainly not afraid to impose himself; he’s very physical with his finishes as a tackler. But Bush can sometimes be indecisive with his pursuit angles. He generally knows how to close the gap quickly, but his lack of length can limit him at times, forcing him to jump the gun with his tackling motion, thus sacrificing leverage.
Despite inevitable warts, however, Bush is a fairly solid prospect. As explained earlier, he’s a high-floor linebacker with the upside to be a tone-setting player for years to come. Speed is something that can’t be taught, and at positions where speed isn’t necessarily a given, such as linebacker, having that quality alone can separate a player. Bush has speed. And he has a lot of other stuff to go along with it.
Tape Watched
Devin Bush vs. Notre Dame (2018)
Devin Bush vs. Penn State (2018)