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.
In today's NFL I worry about LB'ers (off ball) who's knocks lateral quickness. It doesn't mean he can't be a good player, it's just not as likely he's an elite player.
Which is fine. No one should go into a draft expecting an elite player outside the top 4 or 5 picks.
If he's a good solid linebacker who gets a second contract here, thats a major success. [Reply]
People overrate draft picks. Outside the first what, 2 rounds, the hit percentage is super low.
It's likely Humphrey is a really good player (he's a great center prospect who fell because of position), Bolton ends up a fine player and one of the other draft picks hits and the rest wash out in a few years. Thats the way the league goes. [Reply]
If you wanna argue positional value etc, fine. Thats got some validity.
If he's just a solid MLB who struggles against the pass, it's not the best pick as those can be found later. But if you say positional value then argue to draft a RB in the first couple rounds, well thats not really what you're arguing. [Reply]
Originally Posted by staylor26:
Don’t really care. I’ve watched the tape. He absolutely flies around the football field. If you don’t think he plays faster than the guy he is going to replace, I really don’t know what to tell you. Maybe get a new set of eyes?
Also, his composite speed grade is “good”. You are talking like it’s terrible.
I remember the same argument was made when Derrick Johnson posted a 7.20 3 cone and a 1.62 10 yard split. Too much is made of one day testing. [Reply]
Originally Posted by The Franchise:
Plus he was responsible for lining up the defense at Mizzou. I’m not calling Gay stupid but Bolton is more intelligent.
I can’t believe people are knocking this guy, chiefs stated they couldn’t believe he was still there when they picked. Watch the film he makes some mistakes it it’s nothing that coaching and playing time can’t take care of [Reply]
