Why this Kansas City Chiefs rookie already stands out as ‘Tiger tough’ to Andy Reid
Chiefs rookie linebacker Nick Bolton arrived in Kansas City with accomplished football credentials from his time at the University of Missouri.
The two-time All-SEC selection was a tackling machine, totaling 220 takedowns (139 solo) while manning the middle of the Tigers’ defense for three seasons.
That was college, of course, and the 6-foot, 232-pound Bolton starts over at the professional level.
But when presented an opportunity to shine during the Chiefs’ recently concluded rookie minicamp, Bolton impressed the Kansas City coaching staff.
“He had a nice interception (Sunday) actually right in the red zone,” Chiefs coach Andy Reid said, setting up a reference to Bolton’s black-and-gold background: “He’s Tiger tough.
“He’s out there battling and you have to love it. He’s got great instincts, he’s very intelligent. Did a nice job.”
During the NFL Draft, Reid mentioned that Bolton, whom the Chiefs selected in the second round (58th overall), could emerge as a day one contributor for the regular season.
So far, so good. Bolton’s performance during the three-day rookie minicamp didn’t hurt Reid’s early assessment.
And the Chiefs certainly need someone to step in. Starting linebacker Damien Wilson signed a free-agent deal with the Jacksonville Jaguars this offseason, and the loss of his production with the Chiefs — 154 tackles over the past two seasons — leaves big shoes to fill.
Anthony Hitchens returns to man the middle, leaving the weakside (WILL) and strongside (SAM) positions open for competition. Second-year pro Willie Gay Jr. projects to take one of those spots, and it remains to be seen where Bolton eventually lines up.
The rookie linebacker is using every opportunity he can to showcase his abilities while continuing to absorb the playbook.
“I really don’t have a position,” Bolton said. “I’m just trying to come in every single day trying to compete and get better. Just trying to expand my knowledge of the playbook.”
Having Hitchens to lean on during the educational process is a major plus.
“That’s one of my guys,” Bolton said. “He was actually down there in Dallas when I was down there, so I texted with him quite a bit. We talked quite a lot, so (I’m) just looking forward to building that relationship.”
Bolton has time to find his footing, of course, as the regular season is still four months away. The Chiefs’ highest draft pick, however, will be one of the team’s closely watched first-year players in the weeks before training camp in late July.
The Chiefs will hold 10 days of on-field work during voluntary organized team activities (OTAs) May 25-27, June 1-3 and June 8-11 before a mandatory three-day minicamp on June 15-17.
It’ll be tough to stand out, especially for the defensive players, during those periods. Players won’t be in full pads yet, and no contact is allowed during Phase III of teams’ NFL-outlined offseason workout program.
But as long as Bolton continues to add to the foundation he established during the Chiefs’ rookie minicamp with an understanding of the defensive scheme, he’ll have his opportunity once the pads come on for training camp.
“We’re in shorts and he’s a linebacker,” Reid said. “I know he probably can’t wait until we start hitting and that. But for the drills here, he sure did a nice job.”
