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.
Originally Posted by Kiimosabi:
I kind of disagree Gay will be gone. It seems pretty trendy to assume that but unless he has anymore off the field stuff I think he's staying
Yeah, he brings a lot of value with his speed. Him forcing Hurts to throw it away on a third down late in the SB was huge. That made Philly punt which set up Toney for the longest PR in SB history. [Reply]
Originally Posted by Chieftain:
A buddy of mine is a Chargers fan and he mentioned Tranquill being slow in pass coverage. He got burnt by Kelce in the last game we played San Diego.
We are very deep at LB so I'm not too worried but it's still an interesting observation.
Lol wut?
That's Tranquill's strength. Sounds like your buddy has completely unrealistic expectations for LBs in pass coverage.
Also, there's not a single LB that can cover Kelce. [Reply]
Originally Posted by Direckshun:
Gay just seems like a player you want on your team, right?
Huge and physical, fantastic athlete, infectious energy. Just seems like a guy you'd want on your team.
That being said... I fear he's about to be supplanted.
I think Tranquil really ends up in the Niemen role. Maybe im wrong but i just dont see him pushing willie out all the time. Gay is such a fucking specimen. And its not like hes been just terrible. [Reply]
Originally Posted by Dunerdr:
I think Tranquil really ends up in the Niemen role. Maybe im wrong but i just dont see him pushing willie out all the time. Gay is such a ****ing specimen. And its not like hes been just terrible.
Tranquill is only making $3 million, that screams role player, plus he basically said as much in the recent article talking about Andy recruiting him.
That said, he'll be amazing in the Niemann role, it was tailor made for him. [Reply]
Originally Posted by Dunerdr:
I think Tranquil really ends up in the Niemen role. Maybe im wrong but i just dont see him pushing willie out all the time. Gay is such a fucking specimen. And its not like hes been just terrible.
One of the two will be had for under market value next year, simply because they will cannibalize tackles from each other. [Reply]
Ehhhh. This might be the first time I’ve ever seen Bolton overrated. I would think closer to 90 until he can improve in coverage. Yes, I just took a madden ranking seriously
I completely forgot Anthony Hitchens existed until scrolling back in this thread. Man he was a bum. One of Veach’s biggest misses
Now back to homer glasses on. IF Bolton can take a step against the pass, and if George can improve off his rookie year… am I crazy to think we could have a top 7-8 defense?
Edit: I see now that was a fake madden ranking :-) [Reply]
