Nick Bolton (Missouri LB) -- DRAFTED BY KANSAS CITY #58

[ibleedgreen1990]

Three down linebacker that can do it all. Would likely take one of our first two draft picks but I think it would be well worth it. 

 

 

[Green_Guinness]

Interesting player at a position of desperate need.

In 3 games this season (vs Bama, TEN and LSU) he has 18 solo tackles with 18 assisted tackles.  

Last year, his sophomore season, PFF College had him rated as the #3 run defender in the SEC and he finished with their highest grade in coverage for a LB.  He had 103 total tackles, 8.5 TFLs, 7 PDs and 2 INTs with 1 TD.  Was a 1st Team SEC selection.

Unfortunately, he could be a 1st round pick and it'd doubtful we'd take a LB in Round 1.  But he does sound like a player we could use.  

 

[UK_EaglesFan89]

2 hours ago, Green_Guinness said:

Unfortunately, he could be a 1st round pick and it'd doubtful we'd take a LB in Round 1.  But he does sound like a player we could use.  

If Howie is out and the new GM believes in BPA then there's a chance...

3 hours ago, ibleedgreen1990 said:

Three down linebacker that can do it all. Would likely take a top two draft pick but I think it would be well worth it. 

Not sure it would take a top 2 draft pick? Is he really rated either the best or second best player going in to next year's draft? 

[ibleedgreen1990]

5 hours ago, UK_EaglesFan89 said:

If Howie is out and the new GM believes in BPA then there's a chance...

Not sure it would take a top 2 draft pick? Is he really rated either the best or second best player going in to next year's draft? 

Meant a first or second rounder. 

[UK_EaglesFan89]

19 minutes ago, ibleedgreen1990 said:

Meant a first or second rounder. 

Ah OK fair enough. I was going to say I think Parsons is a better LB and he may be there for us in the first. Potentially. 

[ibleedgreen1990]

36 minutes ago, UK_EaglesFan89 said:

Ah OK fair enough. I was going to say I think Parsons is a better LB and he may be there for us in the first. Potentially. 

If we could get a difference maker at another position in the first and still get this guy in the second that would be huge. This guy is a stud.

[Green_Guinness]

Micah Parsons and Dylan Moses are considered the best 2 LBs in the draft.  Bolton is considered the next best.  The other 2 get a leg up on him due to size, Parsons at 6'3" 245 and Moses at 6'3" 240, while Bolton is 6' 235.  Some think Bolton can play his way into a 1st Round pick.  

Here's some analysis on Bolton:

Bolton doesn’t necessarily have the longest reach, hinting at a smaller than average frame. But he more than makes up for it with his speed, explosiveness, and fluidity in pursuit. Bolton accelerates very quickly and has the short-range agility to change directions in a pinch.

Bolton’s size also helps maximize his ability in pursuit, as he’s able to use his thick frame to barrel through gaps in the line and make stops against ball carriers. Despite his size, he’s tough to get a handle on for linemen because of his density and physicality, and his quick play speed allows him to shoot through lanes and splice his way into the backfield like a covert operator.

These traits from Bolton also translate in coverage, where Bolton uses his speed to cover receivers in the second level from sideline to sideline. Bolton has the necessary range to keep up, and he’s also a very smart, instinctive defender who knows what to look for.

 

Overall, Bolton may not have as much upside as linebackers with more length, but he’s at the point of diminishing returns on the scale because his athleticism, instincts, and motor already afford him a very high ceiling.

Teams looking for rangy enforcers who can make plays both against the run and the pass will find a very appealing prospect in Bolton, regardless of his height and wingspan measurements. What’s scary is that Bolton could likely trim down even more, to further maximize his athleticism and burst in the open field.

 

[Ray75]

Awesome player. Already one of my draft crushes!

Don’t think he’ll go top 20 but could definitely wind up a first round selection come draft day. 

Hope we find a way to get him early in the second or by trading up late into the first.

[UK_EaglesFan89]

1 hour ago, Ray75 said:

Awesome player. Already one of my draft crushes!

Don’t think he’ll go top 20 but could definitely wind up a first round selection come draft day. 

Hope we find a way to get him early in the second or by trading up late into the first.

Unless we draft Parsons in the first of course. 

[Ray75]

30 minutes ago, UK_EaglesFan89 said:

Unless we draft Parsons in the first of course. 

LOL

Not gonna happen! 😂

[ibleedgreen1990]

5 hours ago, Ray75 said:

LOL

Not gonna happen! 😂

I’d prefer to save our first for another position if all three are on the board when we pick. If we dump some vets for some second round picks like a lot of mocks show we could be in line for a steal.

we could use one.

[Ray75]

15 hours ago, ibleedgreen1990 said:

I’d prefer to save our first for another position if all three are on the board when we pick. If we dump some vets for some second round picks like a lot of mocks show we could be in line for a steal.

we could use one.

I’m with you here.

My preference would be to go corner in the top 15 (Surtain, Farley or Wade) and LB (Bolton, Surratt, McGrone or Cox) and WR (Olave, St. Brown or Wallace) in the second in that scenario.

[nipples]

23 hours ago, Ray75 said:

Awesome player. Already one of my draft crushes!

Don’t think he’ll go top 20 but could definitely wind up a first round selection come draft day. 

Hope we find a way to get him early in the second or by trading up late into the first.

If they would have pulled the trigger and traded Ertz this past offseason like I was saying they should, they’d possibly have an extra first or at least a second they can bundle to move back into the first. 

[20dawk4life]

Just from that video he looks like a late second to mid third rounder to me. 

[ibleedgreen1990]

4 hours ago, 20dawk4life said:

Just from that video he looks like a late second to mid third rounder to me. 

If we could get him in the third I would be very happy. So far he is more under the radar than other some linebackers so you could very well end up being right!

[UK_EaglesFan89]

4 hours ago, ibleedgreen1990 said:

If we could get him in the third I would be very happy. So far he is more under the radar than other some linebackers so you could very well end up being right!

A third would be great value. If we could pick up an extra second or maybe even an extra second and third then we could be in a real position to draft this kid.

[Ray75]

16 hours ago, 20dawk4life said:

Just from that video he looks like a late second to mid third rounder to me. 

Agree to disagree but I see a prospect who could sneak into the late first. I’d be stunned if he makes it past mid second round... No. 3 LB on my board behind Parsons and Moses.

[20dawk4life]

On 10/17/2020 at 11:33 AM, Ray75 said:

Agree to disagree but I see a prospect who could sneak into the late first. I’d be stunned if he makes it past mid second round... No. 3 LB on my board behind Parsons and Moses.

I could see Parsons being the only LB taken in the first round. Despite our desperate need for a LB the league doesn’t value them as much as before. Moses could go early round 2 leaving Bolton and say Cox fighting it out for the next LB to go. I don’t see a ton of talent in this class yet, but it has been hard to scout this year. 

[Godfather]

Yes he's what we need. Another undersized lb

[Ray75]

Bump up!

[ibleedgreen1990]

On 10/17/2020 at 11:30 AM, Godfather said:

Yes he's what we need. Another undersized lb

Ray Lewis was "undersized" too. People overlooked Drew Brees cause he was small. Russell Wilson went in the third round cause he is undersized. If you got it, you got it. Talent comes in all sizes.

[QBhunter58]

He will be gone by the 2nd so I dont really see this as an option. The thing that sets Bolton about is the football IQ and the film room work. He is not big or overly athletic, he has to compensate somehow.

There is a reason he is in the right place at the right time; that doesn't just happen. Also, he apparently raises his level of play to meet the demand, often recording better numbers when his team is playing poorly. He could fit in well here... But it just aint happening because we are not drafting at the end of the first

[RebelJedi]

On 10/13/2020 at 11:03 PM, ibleedgreen1990 said:

Three down linebacker that can do it all. Would likely take one of our first two draft picks but I think it would be well worth it. 

 

 

In my current mock I have him falling to us with pick 41.

[ibleedgreen1990]

4 hours ago, RebelJedi said:

In my current mock I have him falling to us with pick 41.

Bout to check that out. Sounds like my kind of mock! 

[time2rock]

On 10/14/2020 at 2:25 AM, UK_EaglesFan89 said:

If Howie is out and the new GM believes in BPA then there's a chance...

We haven't drafted a LB in round 1 since 1979.  Howie has only been GM since 2010.  Plenty of history pre-Howie to suggest a LB in round 1 is unlikely (not impossible, but odds are super slim).