Ever since Josh Bush began running around as a kid, football was a part of his life.
However today, Bush is not your ordinary NFL rookie safety.
Hailing from Lexington, N.C., a town that calls itself "the Barbecue Capital of North Carolina," No. 32 for the Green & White has a unique hobby aside from his professional job as a member of the New York Jets.
"I produce my own music," Bush said.
Listing J. Cole as his favorite musical artist these days, the former Wake Forest product has in fact been producing his own music for seven years and has even recently worked with teammate Darrelle Revis on some collaborations.
"I actually started doing it with my cousin," Bush said. "He's been doing it for a while, but I kind of took it on as just a challenge to create something from scratch. That's pretty much why I do it."
That creativeness has led Bush to where he is today. After a stellar four-year collegiate career during which he saw action at both cornerback and safety, Bush was selected by the Jets in the sixth round of this year's draft.
"I'd be lying if I said I'd been dreaming to play in the NFL since I was a kid," he said. "But once you get to a certain level you realize, 'Hey, I may have a shot at this thing.' So when your name gets called, it's a feeling that you really can't describe."
Bush had to be somewhat worried, though, upon entering the pros. He said he had been told to be careful because veterans sometimes tend to tell rookies to do the wrong things. Today he said what he was told hasn't been true, rather labeling the Jets organization as a "family atmosphere."
While at training camp in Cortland, Bush has been rooming with fellow rookie safety Antonio Allen. Head coach Rex Ryan sees potential in both players.
Bush "was a guy who converted from corner and moved to safety," Ryan said. "I think he had six picks his senior year. He's more of the true high-safety-type guy where Allen was more of the low safety. But what we're trying to do is combine both of them.
"One guy has got to be more physical and come to the party a little bit, with Bush. And the other one is having to learn how to play more of a deep patrol as well."
The 5'11'' 208-pound Bush said safety Eric Smith has been the biggest influence on him during his short time as a Jet, stating that Smith practically "brings everyone under his wing."
"When I'm studying film, I always am studying Eric because he's always patient and he's never out of position," Bush said.
He will have to adjust playing without his mentor for a little bit as Smith suffered knee and shoulder injuries during the preseason opener at Cincinnati on Friday. While Smith is now listed day-to-day, the injury should present Bush an opportunity to play some with the first defense, a task that he said he must be prepared for.
"Eric's the type of guy where he's never off the field," Bush said. "He might not be able to get out there, but he's always coaching, trying to help me, Yeremiah [Bell], Antonio Allen, LaRon Landry. He's always coaching us up and helping us make plays in this defense. Being the type of guy that he is, it's just a blessing that he's a part of the New York Jets."
Bush has also had to adapt to playing on special teams. He is listed behind Tim Tebow as the personal protector and said the new role has been a smooth transition for him.
"The personal protector is just about getting everyone lined up and making the right calls and everything," he said. "So that's pretty much all we do. But other than that, it's not really much to it."
As the Jets now begin preparation to host the defending Super Bowl champion New York Giants on Saturday night in their second preseason game, Bush won't ever forget his first.
"It was the best experience I've ever had in my life," he said. "You're only going to get one first-ever NFL game and that was it for me."
