2019 Steelers Draft Introspection: How we performed and what it could signal

(Photo by Ronald Martinez/Getty Images)
(Photo by Ronald Martinez/Getty Images) /
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Round 1:

Projected Pick: Byron Murphy CB University of Washington

Actual Pick:       Devin Bush LB Michigan 

In my most recent article referenced above, I presumed we would try to trade up for Devin White; I was only partially correct.  We did trade up for a Devin, but his last name is not White; it’s Bush.  The two previous instances where we traded up in the first round, we grabbed Troy Polamalu in 2003 and Santonio Holmes in 2006.

Although I speculated that the draft capital required to move up in the first round would have ultimately proven to be too rich for our blood, as it were, we traded up and drafted Bush.  We can debate as to whether or not he was the best option at number 10, but that ship has sailed; we drafted him and that’s that.  We can; however, say this: The fact that we were willing to swap first round picks, give up a second round pick and a third-round pick next year, tells me that no linebacker (outside or inside) on the roster at the time of the draft was viewed as possessing the skill set that Bush possesses.

Personally, I would have liked to have had not traded this year’s second-round pick, but, again, that ship has sailed, so we move on. So how did we do with this pick?  Without stating the obvious, only time will tell.  Will he become the next Jack Lambert, David Little, Chad Brown or Larry Foote?  Again, only time will tell.  What could this pick signify?

Well, I guess that answer depends on how much he plays as a rookie and in what capacity he plays.  I can envision him playing in one of the many “sub-package” defenses we employ or he could start from day one (thus beating out Mark Barron, presumably). With Bostic’s departure, I think the door is wide open for him.