Nick Bolton - Inside Linebacker Missouri Tigers Scouting Report Scouting report for NFL Draft prospect Nick Bolton Author: Overview: Just how good is Bolton? Imagine Chicago Bears linebacker Danny Trevathan with more thump. Bolton is a super physical WILL linebacker who is surprisingly physical for a man his size and length. He fills like a tank, meeting offensive linemen at the point of attack, stacking and shedding with a high success rate. When he’s able to square up ball-carriers, Bolton is a vicious hitter, putting together a highlight reel of massive shots. Bolton has great feel in the passing game, quickly locating zones and working with urgency. He is a very smooth athlete that is able to unlock his hips and redirect in space, as well as playing some man coverage in a pinch. Technically speaking, Bolton stays square while working laterally, always remaining in a sound tackling position while working downhill. His instincts are fantastic. A part of a stingy Tigers defense, Bolton always seems to be around the football. The huge downfall for Bolton’s game is a lack of length that can cause some shortcomings. In the run game, he possesses a small tackle radius to make plays outside his frame. In pass coverage, his length can cause him to miss out on some opportunities at the catch point and closing passing windows. He is a player who will need to be technically sound to make a high volume of plays in space. At the end of the day, Bolton has incredible instincts for the position with a smooth athletic profile and physicality to make a lot of plays moving forward. In the right situation, Bolton could end up hearing his name called somewhere in the first round of the 2021 draft.