Why trading up for Devin Bush was the right move for Steelers

Devin Bush was a name that was widely connected to the Pittsburgh Steelers throughout the pre-draft process. In fact, I’m not sure if there was another player more often linked to one team (outside of maybe Kyler Murray to the Cardinals).

Bush checked every box the Steelers look for in a first round pick: He is a young, athletic, high character, underclassman from a Power 5 school. It was easy to see why Mike Tomlin and Kevin Colbert fell in love with him.

Still, there are many fans out there who were not pleased when the Steelers traded up to the 10th spot in the first round to draft a linebacker. Pittsburgh gave up pick 20, pick 52, and a 2020 3rd round draft choice to move up to land Bush, and a large group of fans thought that was too much.

I’m here to tell you why that trade was necessary.

Though it’s always a lot of capital when you spend a 1st, 2nd, and a 3rd to land just one player, the Steelers needed a great talent.

Let’s reflect on the Steelers draft history for a moment. In my opinion, the Steelers have ‘hit’ on a first round pick just once in the past four years: T.J. Watt (2017). There other first round selections during this time included Bud Dupree (2015), Artie Burns (2016), and Terrell Edmunds (2018).

Though the verdict is certainly still out on Edmunds, he was, by no means, considered a first round prospect when the Steelers picked him at 28 overall last year. When the Steelers are picking in the mid-to-late 20’s most years, they are missing out on all of the top prospects. The last time Pittsburgh selected in the teens, they chose Ryan Shazier (who turned out to be a defensive leader and Pro Bowl linebacker).

The truth is any time you are picking late in the draft, you are taking fliers on players who aren’t first round prospects. Let me ask you this: would you rather a healthy Shazier, or all three of Dupree, Burns, and Edmunds?

The Steelers have missed too often on late first round players as of late. Devin Bush is the best prospect Pittsburgh has drafted since Shazier in 2014. He was the 7th overall player on my big board, and he has the chance to be a stud defensive player.

Though the capital seems like a lot now, Bush should prove to be worth it in the end. The Steelers have a bunch of ‘solid’ players on the roster. It was time for them to get a star.