2022 NFL DRAFT PROSPECT REPORT
- Name: Bubba Bolden
- Position: Safety
- School: Miami
- Height: 6'3"
- Weight: 200lbs
Film Watched: Alabama 2021, NC State 2021, Clemson 2020
Pro's:
- Tall and long – a real aerial danger when competing for the football at the catch point
- Excellent athlete. Has the range to cover sideline to sideline
- Good burst to explode down to the football
- Smooth mirroring routes, and clean in and out of his transition from backpedal to pursuit
- Excellent anticipation; seems to break on throws before they’ve left the QB’s hand
- Eager demeanour in the fun game, and comes downhill hard to meet the ball carrier
- Tough – played through a season-long injury his final year in Miami
- Special teams standout on coverage units, & length helped him block two field goals in 2020
Bubba Bolden is a SS prospect in the 2022 draft class. He scored an unofficial 9.2 RAS at the Combine out of a possible 10.00. This ranked 62 out of 765 SS from 1987 to 2022. https://t.co/au0Mydxf8S #RAS via @Mathbomb pic.twitter.com/Ux2fzpDKgG
— Kent Lee Platte (@MathBomb) March 7, 2022
Con's:
- Sat out 2018 and ultimately left USC after being arrested for underage drinking and disorderly conduct at a party
- Injury prone? Sat out most of 2019 with an achilles injury, and suffered a significant shoulder injury in 2021
- Disappointing lack of ball skills that negate his size and length at the catch point
- Woeful tackler. Missed tackles littered across the tape
- Inconsistent angles of pursuit – his athleticism gets him out of jail
The Verdict:
“After a stuttering start to his collegiate career that included a brush with the law, Bubba Bolden swapped coastlines and it paid dividends; settling down at Miami, Bolden became a valued piece of the secondary for three years for the Hurricanes. Bolden has the measurables and athleticism that you simply can’t ignore, but frustratingly doesn’t use them to their full effectiveness. Not many prospects can play single high, but Bolden possesses the perfect size, length and speed for a free safety - and yet despite being able to get to every catch point, his lack of production contradicts his god-given attributes. More concerning is the tackling, which makes him a complete liability as the last line of defense. And yet Bolden will get drafted because he has traits you cannot teach - and a coaching staff will bank on coaching him up and unlocking some terrific upside.”
Simon Carroll
Head Of NFL Draft Content
NFL COMPARISON: THOMAS DECOUD
PREDICTION: 6TH ROUND PICK
5/5