Michael Bush attended Male High School in Louisville, Kentucky where he saw action at running back, receiver, defensive end, safety, linebacker, and quarterback over the course of his career on the football team. As a junior, Michael caught 64 passes for 1,090 yards and 22 touchdowns on his way to first team all-state honors. He played primarily at quarterback his senior season, completing 190 of 304 pass attempts for 2,891 yards and 35 touchdown passes. He carried the ball 131 times for 911 yards and 7 touchdowns. He also caught 17 passes for 152 yards and 3 more scores. Michael led the team to a 14-1 record and a state championship appearance. In a 59-56 state championship game loss, Michael completed 33 of 47 passes for 468 yards and 6 touchdowns. He also carried the ball 24 times for 116 yards and a touchdown, and caught 2 balls for 24 yards. He was named first team all-state and won the Paul Hornung, Frank Camp, and Roy Kid awards. He was named Kentucky’s “Mr. Football” following his senior season. Michael finished his career completing 221 of 385 passes for 3,379 yards and 40 touchdowns. He carried the ball 256 times in his career for 1,581 yards and 25 touchdowns. He ranked 4th in the state all-time with 180 receptions for 3,031 yards and 37 touchdown receptions. Michael was considered to be one of the top 25 players in the nation at any position. Though he was highly recruited, he opted to stay close to home, accepting a scholarship to the University of Louisville. Michael finished third on the team in rushing as a true freshman, carrying the ball 81 times for 503 yards and 6 touchdowns. He also caught 17 passes for 240 yards and a touchdown on his way to conference USA all-freshman honors. Michael broke his foot the following spring, causing him to miss spring practices. As a sophomore, Michael finished second on the team in rushing with 734 yards and 7 touchdowns on 132 attempts. He caught 11 passes for 155 yards and threw a 48 yard touchdown pass against TCU. His junior season would be a breakout year for Michael. He started 8 games that season, missing two contests with a sprained foot. He led the team with 1,143 yards and a school record 23 rushing touchdowns on 205 attempts. He also caught 21 passes for 253 yards and a touchdown on his way to first team all-Big East honors. Michael returned in 2006 as the top senior running back prospect in college football, before suffering a severe setback in the first game of the season. He was off to a terrific start in the first game against Kentucky with 128 yards and 3 touchdowns on 17 carries in the third quarter when he broke his right fibula while being tackled by linebacker Wesley Woodyard. The injury ended Bush’s season and ultimately his career at Louisville. Michael could’ve applied for a medical redshirt in order to return to Louisville for the 2007 season, but he opted to enter the 2007 NFL draft instead.

Michael Bush has three seasons of experience under his belt at Louisville, missing his senior season due to injury. He has an excellent combination of size, strength and athleticism for a running back. He is a tough between the tackles runner who quickly squares his shoulders, hits the hole hard, and runs through arm tackles. He can be a very difficult player to bring down with one defender. He will break tackles and run over smaller players to gain additional yardage. He has excellent vision and is among the best when it comes to setting up his blocks and following his blockers. His speed isn’t elite, but it is very good for a back his size. He has quick feet and the ability to quickly change directions. He has the ability to get to the outside and turn the corner. He isn’t the most elusive player in the open field but he does have the ability to make defenders miss at times. He is a good short yardage and goal line runner who will move the pile. Michael has good hands making him a threat as a receiver out of the backfield. He’s a former quarterback who can hurt a defense with the halfback pass. Michael needs to improve his blocking and he does have the size and strength in which to do so. He has only played the running back position for three years and has not yet reached his full potential. He split carries his first two seasons before becoming the team’s featured runner as a junior. As a result, some may question his ability to carry the load over the course of a full 16 game NFL season. Durability is going to be the biggest question with Bush. He has an upright, physical running style which leaves him susceptible to injury. Over the past three years Michael has suffered a broken foot, a sprained foot, and a broken fibula. He looked to be a sure first round pick at the beginning of the season and will need to show that he is fully recovered to maintain a first round grade. Michael Bush is the best power running back available in the 2007 NFL draft. He should be a first or second round pick on draft day, with his injury status being the determining factor.