Browse the rest of the Zone Coverage Draft Guide.

TOP 40 PLAYERS
MINNESOTA VIKINGS NEEDS & TARGETS
POSITIONAL TOP 5 RANKINGS & VIDEO BREAKDOWNS
MINNESOTA VIKINGS DRAFT TRENDS
INMAN: NFC NORTH WORST CASE DRAFT SCENARIOS
SENIOR BOWL CENTRAL (PODCASTS, VIDEOS, ARTICLES)
INMAN’S MOCK DRAFT COLLECTION

With three years of experience at Michigan – and only 20 years old – Bush carries plenty of intrigue heading into the draft. His light frame for a linebacker served him well at the combine as he placed top five in most drills except for bench press. His speed helped him become an effective pass-rusher with 10 sacks over the last two years with the Wolverines, but his work against the run left something to be desired (think Eric Wilson, Vikings fans). As the NFL goes more and more pass-heavy, the concerns surrounding him could be alleviated if he can cover tight ends and running backs.

Size

5-11, 234 pounds

Combine notables

40-yard dash: 4.43 seconds (T2nd at position)
Bench: 21 reps
Vertical: 40.5 inches (1^st at position)
Broad jump: 124 inches (T3rd at position)
3-cone drill: 6.93 seconds (5^th at position)

What the analysts say

“Undersized three-down linebacker with the speed and cover talent to make an easy transition to WILL linebacker as a pro. There will be NFL defenses who pass on Bush due to his lack of size, but his ability to play fast and free as an outside linebacker should supersede those concerns. He will miss some tackles and get engulfed by blockers at other times, but his play strength and ability to run and cover are extremely valuable in today’s game and should not be diminished due to a tape measurement.” – Lance Zierlein, NFL.com

“Bush stacked consecutive dominant seasons together at Michigan while developing into a top linebacker prospect. A versatile defender, Bush projects favorably to all three linebacker positions but is likely most natural as an inside backer. His processing skills, physicality and range makes him an every-down option with playmaking upside. Bush does have some limitations when tackling and playing through contact that are present because he lacks ideal length. Bush should be able to start early in his career and become an impact playmaker with the upside to be the face of an NFL defense.” – Joe Marino, The Draft Network

What PFF says

-9^th in pass-rush productivity
-Bottom 25 percent in run-stop percentage (6.76 percent)
-98^th in tackling efficiency

—

CHECK OUT THE REST OF THE
ZONE COVERAGE DRAFT GUIDE

TOP 40 PLAYERS
MINNESOTA VIKINGS NEEDS & TARGETS
POSITIONAL TOP 5 RANKINGS & VIDEO BREAKDOWNS
MINNESOTA VIKINGS DRAFT TRENDS
INMAN: NFC NORTH WORST CASE DRAFT SCENARIOS
SENIOR BOWL CENTRAL (PODCASTS, VIDEOS, ARTICLES)
INMAN’S MOCK DRAFT COLLECTION

Sam Ekstrom

Sam Ekstrom is an executive producer and host at Locked On Sports Minnesota. He's previously covered the Vikings for 105 The Ticket, Zone Coverage, Purple Insider, and the Associated Press. He grew up in Vermillion, S.D. rooting for the USD Coyotes (not SDSU) and graduated from Dordt (not "dork") University in Sioux Center, Iowa.

All Articles