Nick Bolton named a top-5 off-ball linebacker by NFL decision-makers

On Tuesday, ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler continued his annual survey series with NFL off-ball linebackers. To come up with the rankings, Fowler polls the NFL’s top executives, coaches and scouts to create positional rankings.

Kansas City Chiefs running back Isaiah Pacheco was named an honorable mention in the initial column released last Monday, and Chris Jones earned the top spot for defensive tackles last Tuesday. After missing out on a representative for defensive ends on Wednesday, the Chiefs scored another honorable mention with Justin Reid on Thursday — and on Friday, tight end Travis Kelce narrowly topped the league’s tight ends.

The weekend saw the Chiefs with three interior offensive linemen in the top 10, and Monday brought the unnecessary confirmation that Patrick Mahomes is still the best quarterback in the NFL.

Fourth-year linebacker Nick Bolton has often caught his share of polarizing commentary from local fanalysts in Kansas City. But according to the folks actually making the decisions, he’s a consensus top-five off-ball linebacker in the NFL:

5. Nick Bolton, Kansas City Chiefs

Highest ranking: 3 | Lowest ranking: Unranked
Age: 24 | Last year’s ranking: 8

Here’s quite the compliment for Bolton: He’s “the closest thing to Fred Warner” in the NFL because of his football instincts, according to one NFL defensive coach.

A wrist injury cost Bolton significant time in 2023, but he still managed 40 tackles in four playoff games on the way to the Super Bowl.

“Fast, physical, tough, good for their scheme, assignment-sound,” an NFC scout said. “Cleans up leakage vs. the run and not a throwaway on passing downs.”

An NFC exec countered that while Bolton has several qualities you love in a linebacker, he’s not a top-end athlete like some of the others in the top 10.

Bolton has shored up the MIKE linebacker position for the Chiefs since the departure of eight-year pro Anthony Hitchens, who groomed Bolton during the 2021 season. Hitchen’s guidance allowed Kansas City to go younger and cheaper with Bolton in 2022. He has since become one of defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo’s “glue” guys.

But now, the 24-year-old is entering the final year of his rookie contract, with veteran report day set for Sunday. As mentioned in the write-up for Creed Humphrey and Trey Smith, Bolton is one of those players Kansas City would like to retain past their initial contract.

Perhaps we will see the Missouri product get an extension in the coming weeks.