Bush, Gary Selected in First 12 Picks of 2019 NFL Draft

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NASHVILLE, Tenn. -- University of Michigan defensive stalwarts Devin Bush and Rashan Gary heard their names called during the first round of the 2019 NFL Draft on Thursday night (April 25), with Bush being chosen by the Pittsburgh Steelers with the 10th pick and Gary earning selection two slots later with the 12th pick by the Green Bay Packers. The 84th annual player selection meeting continues through Saturday (April 27).

This is the second time in three years that two Wolverine defenders were chosen in the first round of the NFL Draft. It is also the ninth time in school history that the Wolverines have had multiple first-round picks. The last time it happened was the 2017 draft when safety Jabrill Peppers (25th pick) and defensive end Taco Charlton (28th) were chosen by the Cleveland Browns and Dallas Cowboys, respectively.

Devin Bush Jr. joins his father, Devin Sr., as a first-round selection; father was the 26th pick of the 1995 draft by the Atlanta Falcons. They are one of nine father-son combinations to be chosen in the first round of the NFL Draft.

Bush became the 20th U-M player chosen by the Pittsburgh Steelers. He is the second of those 20 draft picks taken in the first round, joining defensive back Dave Brown, who was 26th selection of the 1975 draft. Larry Foote is the only other Wolverine linebacker to be drafted by the Steelers (2002, fourth round, 128th pick).

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Bush was the signal-caller and leading tackler for the Wolverines' top three total defense nationally the past two seasons (second in 2018 and third in 2017). As a junior in 2018, Bush was selected as an NCAA consensus All-American after being named the Nagurski-Woodson Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year and the Butkus-Fitzgerald Big Ten Linebacker of the Year. He led the team with 80 tackles, including 9.5 tackles for loss, 5.0 sacks and six pass breakups after being voted a team captain by his teammates prior to the season. Bush was a finalist for the Bronko Nagurski Trophy as the nation's top defensive player and the Butkus Award as the nation's top linebacker.

Bush was a three-year letterman and two-year starter at middle linebacker, leading the team in tackles in consecutive seasons. A two-time finalist for the Butkus Award, he started 25 games in the middle and played in 39 career contests. Bush accumulated 194 tackles, 19.5 tackles for loss, 10 sacks, one interception and 17 pass breakups during his career. He was a two-time All-Big Ten first team selection (2017-18) on the field and twice earned Academic All-Big Ten honors in the classroom.

Gary became the 28th Wolverine chosen by the Green Bay Packers and is the fourth player selected in the first round, joining guard Merv Pregulman (1944), tight end Ron Kramer (1957) and linebacker John Anderson (1978).

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Gary applied pressure off the edge for Michigan's defense that rated top 10 in nearly every category the past two seasons. He was a three-year letterman and two-year starter for the Wolverines. He was an Academic All-Big Ten Conference performer in the classroom during the 2017 and 2018 seasons, the same seasons that he earned All-Big Ten first team honors from his defensive end spot. Gary amassed 135 tackles, 24 tackles for loss and 10 sacks during his 35 career games, starting 22.

Slowed by a shoulder injury in 2018, Gary contributed 44 tackles, seven tackles for loss and 3.5 sacks in nine starts at defensive end. He posted a season-high nine tackles and 1.5 sacks against Indiana and tallied six or more stops in four games. Gary set career highs in 2017, tallying 66 tackles, 12 TFLs and six sacks.

The 2019 NFL Draft continues from Nashville, Tennessee, on Friday (April 26) with the second and third rounds. ABC, ESPN and the NFL Network will provide television coverage starting at 7 p.m.

Notes

• The Wolverines have had at least one player selected in a record 81 consecutive NFL Drafts (1939-current).
• Bush and Gary are the 46th and 47th Wolverines taken in the first round of the NFL Draft.
• Bush is the 19th player in Michigan football history to be chosen in the top 10 of the NFL Draft and is the first top-10 pick since offensive tackle Jake Long was selected No. 1 by the Miami Dolphins in 2008.
• Bush is the fourth Wolverine linebacker selected in the first round in the common-draft era: Mel Owens (No. 9, Los Angeles Rams) in 1981, John Anderson (No. 26, Green Bay Packers) in 1978 and Mike Taylor (No. 20, New York Jets) in 1972.
• Bush is also the fourth Michigan defender chosen in the top 10 and is the first Wolverine since Charles Woodson was drafted with the fourth overall pick by the Oakland Raiders in 1998. The others are linebacker Mel Owens (No. 9, Los Angeles Rams) in 1981 and defensive lineman Curtis Greer (No. 6, St. Louis Cardinals) in 1980.
• Gary is U-M's sixth defensive lineman drafted in the first round in the common-draft era: Taco Charlton (No. 28, Dallas Cowboys) in 2017, Brandon Graham (No. 13, Philadelphia Eagles) in 2010, Kevin Brooks (No. 17, Dallas Cowboys) in 1985, Curtis Greer (No. 6, St. Louis Cardinals) in 1980 and Dave Gallagher (No. 20, Chicago Bears) in 1974.
• With Bush and Gary both being first-round choices, it marks the third time in school history that multiple defensive players were selected in the first round: Peppers and Charlton in 2017, and Thom Darden (No. 18, Cleveland Browns) and Mike Taylor (No. 20, New York Jets) in 1972.
• Michigan had three first-round selections in the 1995 and 2001 NFL Drafts.

Michigan Players Selected in the 2019 NFL Draft (First Round)