NFL Scouting Reports: Joe Bolden

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For those of you who may not know who Joe Bolden is, he was the heart and soul of the University of Michigan’s rejuvenated defense under first year head coach Jim Harbaugh. Bolden lead the team with 83 total tackles in 2015 and was also a team captain.

Strengths

Whenever Bolden was in the game at linebacker, he was a pure leader and his “team-first” attitude will bode well for him when it comes to the NFL. He is a ball magnet, and his overall grit and toughness should help his draft stock tremendously.

While Bolden isn’t the biggest player out on the field physically, he makes up for it with his high football IQ and quick reaction time.

Weaknesses

As mentioned earlier, Bolden isn’t exactly the biggest player out on the field physically and may struggle when it comes to finishing tackles in the NFL. While he does have the determination to get to the ball carrier, it is unknown if his attempted tackles will be broken. Other than that, Bolden does not have any major weaknesses.

NFL Comparison: Paul Worrilow

A player to compare Bolden to is the Atlanta Falcons starting linebacker Paul Worrilow. While Bolden is an inch taller and 10 pounds heavier than Worrilow, they both have fairly similar styles of play and are both the leaders of their respective linebacker core. Both players are extremely gritty and their toughness is one of the main reasons why they succeed.

Draft Projection

While it is unknown how easily Bolden will transition into the NFL, he is not expected to go in the first four rounds barring an incredible performance at his Pro Day.

Bolden should go somewhere between the latter half of the fifth round and the early seventh round, and could perhaps be one of the biggest steals of the draft due to his high upside created by his tremendous toughness and football IQ.

Best Fit: Atlanta Falcons

Bolden would fit in extremely well alongside Worrilow in Atlanta, as his style of play is exactly what Falcons coach Dan Quinn wants in his players. The grittiness and toughness of Bolden should help him fit in almost any system, and any team would love to add a player like Bolden to their roster. In the end, the Falcons are the best landing spot for Bolden as their system is built around players like him, thus making Atlanta the location where Bolden has the best chance to thrive in the NFL.