Originally Posted by :
Bolton played in all 13 games as a true freshman (22 tackles, one sack) after earning Dallas Morning News first-team all-state honors at Lone Star High School (130 tackles, 16 for loss, five interceptions). He went from promising youngster to SEC star in 2019, earning first-team all-conference honors after leading the league with 8.9 tackles per game (107 total, 7.5 for loss), intercepting two passes and breaking up eight others in 12 starts. He was named second-team Associated Press All-American, first-team All-SEC and a Butkus Award finalist in 2020, leading his defense with 95 tackles and 7.5 tackles for loss (including two sacks), while breaking up five passes in 10 starts. Bolton's father, Carlos, played football at Louisiana Tech. -- by Chad Reuter
Overview
When you think about strong, forceful inside linebackers, Bolton is the type of player you might be envisioning. He's going to fall below typical NFL starter standards from a size standpoint, but his rugged frame and forceful demeanor help make up for it. Play recognition and pursuit instincts help carry him to the football and he's a message-sending striker when he gets the runner squared up. He has functional short-area burst between the tackles but will struggle to run down the outside run if he's not close enough to the action. He will need to lean heavier on his instincts to help speed him up because of size and speed limitations. Bolton plays with good field recognition when dropping into zone and has a history of making plays on the football in coverage. He's a three-down linebacker who can make an immediate contribution on special teams and has the potential to become a future starter. Strengths
Very tough with a physical edge.
Plays with demeanor teams look for in the middle.
Field-savvy with instincts to diagnose misdirection.
Identifies and communicates.
Heavy hands with good pop to take on blocks.
Pursues ball-carrier with patience and leverage.
Fluid alterations to his pursuit angles.
Excellent feel for attack timing downhill.
Meets runners with violent collisions in the hole.
Strikes like he's trying to send a message.
Great awareness and ballhawking as spot dropper.
Has enough man-cover talent to play on all three downs.
Thrived on kick- and punt-cover teams early in his career.
Weaknesses
Average lateral quickness traps him behind climbing blocks.
Inconsistent to strike and separate from blockers.
Needs to improve angles to elude box traffic.
Might need to take a few more chances as a pro.
Top-end speed appears below average.
Loses ground when pursuit flows wide.
Below-average lateral agility as open-field tackler.
Will have to play quicker to deal with NFL slashers.
Originally Posted by BryanBusby:
Hitchens was horrible. It's no mistake he didn't even get a sniff after being released.
He made up for his lack of speed with terrible tackling. But at least he could be counted on to instantly be swallowed up by a single blocker in his last two years here. [Reply]
Originally Posted by Chiefspants:
He made up for his lack of speed with terrible tackling. But at least he could be counted on to instantly be swallowed up by a single blocker in his last two years here.
I will never forget him literally running away from the ball carrier in that loss against the Bills.
Originally Posted by Dunerdr:
In my head I wouldnt expect him that high, then you look at the list and its kind of like yeah that makes a lot of sense.
One stat to know for all 32 NFL teams before the 2023 season
By Dalton Wasserman
Jul 28, 2023
KANSAS CITY CHIEFS
The Chiefs are an offensive juggernaut, but it could be argued that their defense was just as important during their most recent Super Bowl run. Chris Jones is a monster and they got a ton of production from young players in the secondary. The unsung hero of the group is linebacker Nick Bolton, who is well on his way to being a star.
Nick Bolton’s 78.4 career overall grade is the second-best mark of any linebacker drafted since 2020, only behind Micah Parsons (minimum 200 snaps). The caveat to Parsons is that he’s spent the majority of his time on the edge and is most productive when blitzing from a linebacker spot. Meanwhile, Bolton plays a more traditional role, leading that same group of players with an 83.5 run-defense grade. He’s arguably the best young linebacker in the league.
Originally Posted by smithandrew051:
Nick Bolton is super underrated, but I think that ends this year.
Youre about a year too late, and I think under rated is the wrong word. Maybe before last year. But after last year he is one of the top rated inside linebackers in the league.
Hes not a household name so maybe he is not famous or well known. But he is rated quite highly.
179 tackles
superbowl winning plays
hes about #3 overall rated linebacker to start this season
Originally Posted by Iconic:
will deserve every penny. idgaf about the price or the positional value blah blah suck my dick. we saw what it was like post-dj on defense.
never fucking again dude. never fucking again.
Bolton is the QB of the defense. He is a guy that KC needs to keep long term. [Reply]
Originally Posted by Pawnmower:
Youre about a year too late, and I think under rated is the wrong word. Maybe before last year. But after last year he is one of the top rated inside linebackers in the league.
Hes not a household name so maybe he is not famous or well known. But he is rated quite highly.
179 tackles
superbowl winning plays
hes about #3 overall rated linebacker to start this season
He was an overturned call from stealing MVP from Mahomes in the SB. [Reply]
