With the 16th overall pick in the 2015 NFL Draft, the Pittsburgh Steelers selected defensive end Bud Dupree of Kentucky. Dupree is a big-play pass rusher who finished his career with 23.5 sacks, including 7.5 in his senior season.
NFL Draft Results 2015: Bud Dupree drafted by Steelers at No. 22
Dupree brings a ton of pass rushing to a Steelers defensive unit in need of some youth.
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Dupree managed 74 tackles and 12.5 tackles for a loss in 2014. He also started 38 consecutive games in his college career. He's an incredible athlete, running a 4.56-second 40-yard dash at the NFL Scouting Combine, as well as registering a 138.0-inch broad jump and 42.0-inch vertical leap.
Dupree has primarily been listed as a defensive end in the pre-draft process and that’s undeniably where he fits best. He does his best work rushing the passer with his hand on the ground, and uses his often superior athleticism to beat his man. If there are any significant complaints about him, it’s that he doesn’t have a huge arsenal of moves and doesn’t always read and react well.
Those are all things Dupree will have to work on at the next level, but they shouldn’t get in the way of him stepping into a starting role if that’s required of him. At the end of the day, the Steelers can just point him in the general direction of a quarterback and Dupree will probably be able to bring him down.
The Steelers needed to get younger, and Dupree helps them in that department. He also brings speed and athleticism to an aging defensive unit. Troy Polamalu retired over the offseason, and now it’s time to usher in a new era of Steelers defensive football.
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