Grading the Kansas City Chiefs 2021 NFL Draft Class

Nick Bolton – LB – Missouri – Round 2 – Pick 58

This pick has some Chiefs fans split. Some are thrilled that K.C. took one of the top linebacker prospects in the draft, and the fact that he’s from a local college is just icing on the cake. Others feel like linebackers that aren’t seen as pass rush specialists or have elite coverage skills simply don’t have the value that they once did. I personally believe that Bolton has the instincts to be a good three down linebacker. He may not have the coverage upside of Willie Gay, but he can absolutely be the heir apparent to Anthony Hitchens.

While his spot on big boards varied a lot, his average put him somewhere in the early to mid-second round. So you can’t knock the Chiefs for taking him in the late second round. I think there will always be people that will watch the career of wideout Terrace Marshall to see if the Chiefs made the right choice in taking Bolton over him. Boogie Basham would have been another intriguing pick at this slot.

Bolton should be a great fit in the Chiefs defense, contributing this year in the base 4-3 and eventually earning time in sub packages. He definitely fits a major need on the roster, as Gay and Hitchens are the only two starting caliber linebackers on the roster and most fans would like to see Hitchens upgraded sooner rather than later.

I believe Bolton will have a long and solid NFL career, but I think his upside is a little limited by the lack of elite sideline-to-sideline speed and only average coverage ability. Overall, I think this is a really solid pick, but it falls just short of a home run for me.

Draft Slot Value vs Reach: B+
Best Player Available: B
Need/Immediate Impact: A
Long Term Upside: B
Fit With the Chiefs: A

Overall Pick Grade: B+

Next up let’s look at the center that KC took in the second round.