49ers NFL Draft prospect profile: Linebacker Devin Bush

The San Francisco 49ers look a little better at linebacker, but it’s hard not to see the team add to their linebacker stocks in the draft. Devin Bush may be a top 20 pick in the draft, but present an intriguing option if the 49ers trade back.

It seems almost a lock that the San Francisco 49ers will select a linebacker in the 2019 NFL Draft. While upgrades have been made, there is room for a lot more.

One common theme is that the Niners could trade down in the draft, but the assumption has always been to a team that is trading in the first half of the first round.

But what if it was a team that was drafting more in the late teens or 20s?

Michigan’s Devin Bush is a player that seems to tick all the boxes to be an elite linebacker at the next level, but how does he fit into the 49ers defense?

Let’s take a look.

Devin Bush’s strengths

Bush is a player who can play all downs in the NFL. He has the ability to cover, blitz and read play actions.

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Bush had great production at Michigan, and what will intrigue teams most in his sack total and his pass deflections. Linebackers that can defend well against the pass are always in vogue in the passing era, and Bush is one of the best prospects,, if not the best, in that regard.

Bush is also a great player to have on your team. He loves football and plays with an endless motor. He’s a true team player on and off the field, and should be a high-character guy for whoever drafts him.

Like all great linebacker prospects, Bush knows how to tackle well. He puts his small frame to good use to get in and under, and powers through to get people to the ground.

Bush also plays sideline to sideline. He has a quick step and plays exceptionally smart, which allows him to get outside blockers and disrupt the play.

Devin Bush’s weaknesses

Bush’s primary weakness is his size and his length. Bush is undersized, coming in at 5-foot-11 and 234 pounds. While this does give him a lower center of gravity compared to other linebackers, it does have its drawbacks.

Length is a problem as well. His arms are only at 32 inches long, and that combined with his small frame means he has problems shedding blocks when linemen get in at him. Physically speaking, Bush does have some problems to work through.

The big problem with this is with his short height, Bush doesn’t have much room to fill out his frame. Teams will have to take him as he is, and hope his talents overcome the physical limitations.

Fit with the 49ers

The 49ers need linebacker help, and Bush can help with that. He can play any of the linebacker positions, and can be the specialty blitzing linebacker of the group.

When it comes to draft range, San Francisco would need to move into the teens to grab him. This can be as a result of a trade down, which is a real possibility. Unfortunately for the 49ers, there seems to be no chance of Bush falling to the second round.

All in all, grabbing Bush is possible but would require some maneuvering on the Niners’ part to nab him.