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.
I think his mentality and playing style is going to mesh well with the rest of the defense. There hasn’t been any players outside of Dirty Dan and occasionally Sneed that could deliver a big hit that gets the team going. This team feeds off of energy and their sudden runs they go on come from the type of plays that Bolton can provide with his hitting power and aggressiveness.
I was skeptical at this pick when it was announced because I thought there were more valuable ways to utilize our first pick but I’ve warmed up to it. In a lot of ways he’s a young Anthony Hitchens but with more personality on the field. He’ll be a multi-year starter for the team and at the end of the day that’s all you can ask for in the 2nd round. [Reply]
Shittin' in the mornin' sun
I'll be shittin' again when the evenin' comes
Watchin' as the tapes roll in
Eating Joe's I'll watch (Lock-Carr) flop and fail again… [Reply]
I don't really love any of our picks outside of Creed, but I don't hate them either. Good draft all around. I'd like more of a coverage LB in this day and age but nothing wrong with this guy except he's a Mizzou. [Reply]
The concerns about Bolton's coverage ability are overblown.
He's eventually going to settle at MLB. He's not going to be covering RB's and TE's as much as people think because they're just assuming he's going to be outside. [Reply]
Originally Posted by htismaqe:
The concerns about Bolton's coverage ability are overblown.
He's eventually going to settle at MLB. He's not going to be covering RB's and TE's as much as people think because they're just assuming he's going to be outside.
Exactly and this idea that he’s incapable and a 2 down LB is silly. He’s not great, but he’s definitely capable and even has some ball skills to make plays in coverage. [Reply]
I hear a lot of people stating Bolton won’t see the field much because Gay didn’t in his rookie season. The difference is Gay barely played his final year in college due to an 8 game suspension, then arrived in KC with an abbreviated ramp up to the season. Bolton played a lot of games the last 2 seasons, and should have a full offseason and preseason to get up to speed. [Reply]
Originally Posted by TRR:
I hear a lot of people stating Bolton won’t see the field much because Gay didn’t in his rookie season. The difference is Gay barely played his final year in college due to an 8 game suspension, then arrived in KC with an abbreviated ramp up to the season. Bolton played a lot of games the last 2 seasons, and should have a full offseason and preseason to get up to speed.
Plus he was responsible for lining up the defense at Mizzou. I’m not calling Gay stupid but Bolton is more intelligent. [Reply]
