Nicholas Bolton
Athletic working backs stressing him vertically are dangerous matchups for Bolton, as he lacks the pace and self-discipline to pick them up at occasions. But whereas Bolton is strong in zone protection, he reveals vital stiffness in his decrease body and shouldn’t be asked to match up in man coverage with pass catchers on the NFL degree. And for all his physicality, he also doesn’t tackle blockers nicely within the run sport. Bolton would rather run around blockers, or attempt to beat them to a landmark, instead of taking them on immediately. Rather than stacking and shedding, he is often neutralized or knocked out of the play when compelled to tackle blocks instantly. Bolton exhibits an correct first step, routinely beginning plays by moving in the identical path because the ball.
After one other offseason with the Missouri program, he rapidly transformed into top-of-the-line linebackers within the nation as a sophomore, far outplaying his recruitment rating. In this 2019 season, he had a hundred total tackles in addition to a sack and two picks, earning first-team All-SEC honors. Bolton ought to have the ability to safe a beginning job in a contemporary NFL defense. He doesn’t tackle blocks nicely within the run game, but that may be schemed around. Likewise, he could be a liability in man protection, however groups don’t have to name it.
Nick Bolton attended Lone Star high school in Frisco, TX, where he can be named District 13-5A in his junior and senior seasons. He posted over 200 tackles and 6 interceptions combined throughout that time whereas leading his group to a 12-2 report earlier than committing to Missouri. Nick Bolton was a 3-star recruit with a 247sports composite rating of 0.8484; he was ranked exterior the top 1000 gamers within the 2018 class. With more enjoying time, he has turn out to be extra affected person and eliminated many of the mistakes he made in previous seasons.
He has a tendency to lunge — or outright launch himself — at ball carriers and solely often wrap up. While this can result in some spectacular hits, it could possibly also lead to badly missed deal with attempts. Missouri linebacker Nick Bolton is a compact, powerful, and aggressive off-ball linebacker prospect. With fantastic pure tools, Michigan EDGE Kwity Paye is looking to soar his NFL Draft stock into a primary-spherical draft pick. Former scout and ESPN analyst Matt Williamson breaks down the primary round of the 2021 NFL Draft in his newest mock draft for PFN.
In his second season, Bolton became one of many high linebackers in the complete SEC, leading the convention in tackles and being named First Team All-Conference. Bolton registered 103 whole tackles on the 12 months, eight of which for loss. He also produced one sack, two interceptions, considered one of which he returned for a touchdown, and 7 cross deflections. In Missouri LB Nick Bolton’s 2021 NFL draft player profile, we study one of the productive SEC defenders and prime linebacker prospects. He had 130 tackles and five interceptions as a senior and 111 tackles and one interception his junior season. He dedicated to the University of Missouri to play school soccer.
Football Iq
Bolton and Debo inside off-ball, whereas Walker and Foye play more of a field security hybrid that may drift out into the slot. Selecting Bolton could ultimately lead to the Falcons not having to pay Oluokon either. As a freshman, he earned playing time mostly on special teams. Bolton would end his first season with 22 tackles and one sack, his largest recreation coming at Alabama when he recorded eight tackles. His physicality didn’t go unnoticed as he performed in all thirteen games and earned himself taking part in time as he entered his sophomore season.
- Only time shall tell if this participant is the animal he has teased audiences with or the frustration he has spooked scouts with.
- Bolton would common eight.9 tackles per sport in 2019, according to mutigers.com, which was best within the SEC.
- A constant theme with a majority of these classes might be that he is sizzling or chilly in terms of every trait.
- Bolton might step in to be a serviceable LB as a rookie however his touchdown spot will play a huge position in determining that.
Bolton mentioned he’s used to playing zone coverage because of the Tigers defensive scheme. However, he can play man to man if needed, which is crucial within the fashionable NFL with mismatches from speedy tight ends and receivers out of the backfield an enormous part of the game. Some faculty’s results have been altered by retroactive NCAA penalties. As a matter of coverage, Sports Reference solely stories the outcomes of games as performed on the field. Finally, whereas Bolton has a great football IQ, he’s more of a “read and react” linebacker than a really instinctive player. He reveals a have to see and process the offensive play earlier than getting into motion — although that course of is often pretty fast.
It’s onerous to gauge simply exactly how much the NFL will worth Nick Bolton. You can discover draft analysts that view him as the second-best linebacker in the class, whereas others have him nearer to LB10 than LB1. However, the NFL will acknowledge his mix of strong athletic capability and an elite football IQ. As a result, someone will take him with the intent to be the MIKE of their defense. Teams like the Philadelphia Eagles, Cleveland Browns, and Kansas City Chiefs all make a lot of sense. If his tackling have been extra consistent, he may be thought-about as a high-two linebacker for this class.
If you’ve been enjoying IDP dynasty fantasy football long sufficient, you are fully aware of how essential landing spot and draft capital are to a prospect. Nick Bolton has all the instruments to compete to be a Week 1 starter upon being drafted. During his freshman season at Missouri, Bolton confirmed no downside earning it through his play on particular groups. It’s a kind of uncommon characteristics that some players simply have. It comes from desirous to be nice and being unselfish to perform the objective of successful video games.
As a observe up, he flashed his all-spherical sport against Louisiana State, racking up eleven tackles and breaking apart three passes in a win. Despite enjoying in two less video games in 2020, he got here close to his sophomore season manufacturing totals. He registered 95 tackles, 8 tackles for loss, 2 sacks, and 5 move break ups. Bolton has shown the world either side of the coin numerous times. The most unlucky factor for each him, in addition to the followers, is that Bolton’s career might heavily be in the hands of the staff that drafts him and their coaching. His hit energy and flashes of elite imaginative and prescient provide some of the intriguing prospects in a really weak linebacker class, which can result in Bolton being selected as early as the first spherical.