In his autumns at Michigan, linebacker Devin Bush was a force on defense and a leader.
Wasting no time, Bush is trying to establish himself in the same light with the Pittsburgh Steelers.
"I just wanted to be vocal the best I could and trust what I see, whether I was right or wrong," Bush told the media following Friday's first day of Steelers rookie minicamp via the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. "I know concepts already, I just got to learn the language -- different things they call, different things they speak. I just got to get familiar with the playbook, get familiar with the language and get confident in my play-calling."
Granted, it's just the first day and the first day of rookie minicamp at that. There are no pads. The season is still more than three months away. But one cannot help but be impressed by a first-round pick having a mission on Day 1 and setting forth to achieve it.
Bush has goals for his first impression and first days as a Steeler.
"[Showing] why I belong here, why I belong in the NFL, that I'm going to play here for a long time," Bush said.
While the majority of Pittsburgh headlines -- and controversy -- in the recent past have been attributed to the team's offense, notably quarterback Ben Roethlisberger and the departed Le'Veon Bell and Antonio Brown, defense used to be the franchise calling card and has been in need of improvement and perhaps a face.
Bush looks to be emerging front and center in hopes of becoming the face of the Steelers defense.
Once again, it's just rookie minicamp. Talks of Bush joining the legendary ranks of famed Steelers defenders of the past such as Jack Lambert, Joe Greene, Jack Ham, Mel Blount, Rod Woodson and Troy Polamalu would be folly.
Still, the Steelers took Bush with the No. 10 pick for a reason. And it's never too early to begin proving your worth and showing your new employer what the future can be.
"Just being out there, getting back in football mode, it's football again," Bush said. "So I'm happy to be back.
"Now I'm a part of the Steelers organization. I'm a Steeler. I'm very grateful to be in this position right now."
