Bud went a little higher in 2015 than UofL grad Marcus Smith did in 2014, but both were draft day risers - both ended up as first round picks (Smith went to the Eagles). They have very similar situations - both played most of the time in a three point stance during college, and they are both transitioning to a 3-4 OLB position in the pros.
The points being made on here about "thinking too much" are exactly right. When you have the kind of talent both of those guys have, the game becomes very easy in your last year of college. You can even get away with "thinking too much" in college, because you're that much better than most everyone you're going against. In the pros, it's much more obvious when someone is "thinking".
Smith struggled to make the transition all last year, and rarely saw the field the last half of the season. He's still being groomed as a 3-4 outside linebacker, but he is also being cross-trained as an inside linebacker in that scheme. If Bud continues to struggle, I would not be surprised if the Steelers does the same thing (cross-trains him as both an ILB and OLB). The ILB's are the "captains" of the defense, and they make the defensive adjustments. It's a very good way to teach a new OLB how the defense works, so that the assignments become second nature. It seems to be working for Smith this year, as he played significantly better in his first preseason game against the Colts.
Hopefully for Bud, the Steelers do well enough this year that his struggles do not become a focal point for criticism of the coaching staff and management. Luckily for Smith last year, the Eagles did just well enough under first year HC Chip Kelly that it did not become a big issue.
