Ever since the season ended, it has been a common refrain that Devin White is easily the best linebacker prospect in the draft.
Recently however, that question has come into question, could Devin Bush be a better fit for the Bengals?
Devin Bush Athletic Profile:
- Height: 5’ 11”
- Weight: 234 pounds
- 40 Yard Dash: 4.43 seconds
- Vertical Jump: 40.5”
- Broad Jump: 124”
- 3-Cone Drill: 6.93 seconds
- 20 Yard Shuttle: 4.23 seconds
- Bench Press: 21 reps
Build-wise and athletically, Devin Bush and Devin White are just about the exact same, with minor differences in several drills, but nothing major. So, the real question of who is better has to come down to the tape.
It can be tough to directly compare the two as prospects however, considering their very different usage at their respective colleges. While White was used a lot in the run game and had to often take on blockers, Bush was rarely used against the run, and Michigan worked very hard to keep blockers off of him. Of course, there is the also the fact that White also wasn’t very good at taking on blocks even if he had to do it more.
However, the biggest factor in why I think Bush is a better fit with the Bengals than White is because of the higher usage in coverage of Bush vs how White was used in college. Neither was used to cover the middle in zone coverage very much, but Bush was used a lot to cover the flats and a lot in man coverage against running backs and tight ends.
While he had his struggles, these are the plays that his athleticism shows up the much, and it provides a functional base of coverage skills to build upon that would be immensely helpful for the Bengals. I still think eleven is a bit rich for Bush, but if the Bengals really want to address linebacker, then a Bush pick makes sense.
To see the full breakdown of his game and the pro comparison check out his NFL Draft Profile Video above.