For Pittsburgh Steelers fans, getting to see 1st round pick Devin Bush fly around in his new #55 jersey is exciting to watch and hear about. To have that three down linebacker who fits perfectly with how the league has evolved. For Michigan teammate Zach Gentry, it’s old hat. The only thing different he sees out of Bush is doing it wearing a new number.
“I’ve been seeing impressive stuff from him for four years,” he told Missi Matthews when asked what he’s noticed about Bush. “So it’s not anything new.”
Gentry was selected in the 5th round of the draft as a potential replacement for Jesse James, who left in free agency to sign a lucrative contract in Detroit. After briefly beginning his career as a quarterback, Gentry switched to tight end, meaning he saw plenty of Bush in practice.
Still, he rattled off the traits that made Bush a top player in the draft.
“He’s just so fast. He makes good decisions. Gets his pads low. He’s a heck of a football player.”
That echos all of the early reports on him. Justin Layne sang his praises after the first practice, which back at Michigan State may be considered sacrilegious, and we know Bush has been asked to call the defense from the get-go. Of course, it is rookie minicamp, and how “good” a player looks on the field can – and should – be taken with a grain of salt. OTAs with the entire team will tell you a lot more than rookie minicamp, training camp will be a better evaluation than OTAs, preseason even more, and of course, the final grades don’t begin until September.
Gentry will have lower expectations but also more heat to make the roster. Though he has the inside track on the #3 spot behind Vance McDonald and Xavier Grimble, he’s not a lock to make the team. He’s raw, the team’s admitted as much, and it’s possible, likely even, they address the position sometime during training camp. That’s why they acquired McDonald in the first place; the position group struggled and compelled the team to make the trade. Buffalo’s Jason Croom and Detroit’s Michael Roberts are a pair of names to monitor.
