Philadelphia Eagles 2019 NFL Draft watch: Is adding Devin Bush a real possibility?

The Philadelphia Eagles are taking some serious looks at former Michigan linebacker Devin Bush, but would he even be available for the Philadelphia Eagles at pick 25?

It seems like our Philadelphia Eagles wish list never changes. We want running backs and wide receivers and secondary help and linebackers. Philly’s addition of Jordan Howard has some thinking ‘The Birds’ could wait and take a ball carrier later in the 2019 NFL Draft now, and it seems like we discuss the linebackers every offseason. Enter for Michigan standout Devin Bush.

At five-foot-eleven and 234 pounds, some might say Bush is small by NFL standards, but draft stock is often helped by nice 40-yard dash times and a decent NFL Combine, and at the end of February, Bush helped himself with both.

He ran a blistering 4.43 in Indy. He also brought the heat with 21 reps on the bench press, a 40.5-inch vertical, and a 124-inch broad jump. NFL.com says he has a chance to start immediately, and they compare him to former Eagles linebacker Stephen Tulloch (we’re thinking they mean a younger version before he got injured).

Here’s more of what they had to say in his draft profile:

"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."

The Draft Network says this in their profile of him:

"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."

PhiladelphiaEagles.com did some film study on him recently. Here’s what they came up with:

Clip courtesy of the Philadelphia Eagles’ official YouTube channel

Walterfootball.com identifies him as their second-best inside linebacker prospect in 2019’s draft and sees him as a first or second round selection.

With Jordan Hicks‘ departure and an Eagles defensive unit that’s seen more than its’ fair share of injuries, the need for Philly to add some punch at middle linebacker is obvious, but would Bush be available for Philly at pick 25? It’s probably safe to say we’re not getting out of the first round without his name being called.

We’ll have to wait and see.