Photo courtesy of USA Today
Missouri’s Nick Bolton is the first pick for the Kansas City Chiefs in the 2021 NFL draft.
The Chiefs took him with the 58th overall pick late in the second round, a pick they received from the Baltimore Ravens in the Orlando Brown Jr. trade. Bolton is the first Missouri player drafted by the Chiefs since center Mitch Morse in 2015.
A native of Frisco, Texas, Bolton was a two-time first-team All-SEC selection, receiving the honor in both 2019 and 2020. This year he recorded 95 total tackles, eight tackles for loss and a pair of sacks. For his career, he has 17.5 tackles for loss and four sacks, plus two interceptions.
Bolton was the No. 44 overall prospect on this year’s 580 Sports Talk consensus big board, and Brendan Dzwierzynski mocked him to the Chiefs with the 63rd overall pick in his Day 2 mock draft.
Kyle Crabbs of The Draft Network listed Bolton as a potential starting MIKE linebacker, and also praised his ability to drop into coverage.
This is the second year in a row Kansas City has taken an off-ball linebacker in the second round. Last season, the Chiefs took Mississippi State linebacker Willie Gay. They will be under contract together for the next three years.
Gay expressed his interest in and excitement for the Bolton pick on Twitter.
Nick Bolton I feel it 🔥
— Willie Gay Jr. (@WillieG___) May 1, 2021
🔥🙌🏾🙌🏾
— Willie Gay Jr. (@WillieG___) May 1, 2021
The Chiefs have one Day 2 pick remaining, No. 63 overall in the second round.
