Could Steelers rookie Devin Bush be the next Bobby Wagner?

Steelers Devin Bush has just one preseason game under his belt, but was more than impressive. Here are the similarities he shares with All-Pro linebacker, Bobby Wagner.

We are just one game into Devin Bush’s preseason career, but already the Steelers first round draft choice is drawing high comparisons. It’s a popular opinion right now to say that Bush resembles Ryan Shazier, but there is another great linebacker that he may compare better to.

Devin Bush shares some eerie similarities with Seahawks linebacker, Bobby Wagner.

Wagner is one of the best linebackers of the 2000’s. With 4 All-Pros and 5 Pro Bowls under Wagner’s belt, it’s not fair to hold Devin Bush to a nearly unreachable standard.

However, the similarities between the two are closer than you might think. Here’s why Devin Bush has a chance to become like Bobby Wagner:

Size:

Bobby Wagner plays as big as anyone these days, but contrary to popular belief, the Seahawks defensive star is below average in size for an NFL linebacker.

Wagner stands at just 6-feet on the dot and comes in at 242 pounds. A lack of size was the biggest knock on Devin Bush coming out of Michigan, but his 5’11” frame didn’t seem to effect him in his first NFL action.

Bush weighed in at 234 pounds at the NFL Combine, and some NFL weight training could see the 21-year old linebacker potentially maintaining a weight around 240 pounds.

Athleticism:

Bobby Wagner was a phenomenal athlete coming out of Utah Sate. Though he did not participate in measured drills at the NFL Combine, he wowed NFL scouts with an impressive showing at his Pro Day.

Wagner managed a 4.46s 40-yard dash, a 39.5” vertical jump, a 132” broad jump, a 7.10s 3-cone drill, and a 4.28s 20-yard shuttle.

Devin Bush, however, shares remarkably similar workout metrics to the All-Pro linebacker:

During the NFL Combine, Bush recorded a 4.43s 40-yard dash, a 40.5” vertical jump, a 124” broad jump, a 6.93s 3-cone, and a 4.23s 20-yard shuttle.

Devin Bush actually posted better numbers in 4 of these 5 areas, and is on par with Bobby Wagner as an athlete.

Play style:

Both Bobby Wagner and Devin Bush are more than athletes: they are high energy players who flow effortlessly to the ball.

They possess sideline-to-sideline speed and are enforcers on contact. Wagner and Bush were both leaders of their respective defenses in college. While Wagner continues to be a team captain and signal caller on the Seahawks defense, Bush appears to be headed in the same direction for the Steelers.

Wagner and Bush are part of a rare breed of linebackers with 4.4s speed. They are both excellent blitzers who can turn and run with any running back or tight end in coverage.

It’s not fair to hold such high expectations for Devin Bush, but the 10th overall pick shows a tremendous amount of promise in what we have seen so far. There is no denying the similarities between Bush and Bobby Wagner, but the Steelers rookie linebacker has a lot to prove if he wants to become like one of the best linebackers in football.