Bubba Bolden NFL Draft 2022: Scouting Report for Miami (FL) Safety

HEIGHT: 6'2 1/8"

WEIGHT: 209

HAND: 9"

ARM: 31 3/8"

WINGSPAN: 6'4 7/8"

40-YARD DASH: 4.47

3-CONE: DNP

SHUTTLE: DNP

VERTICAL: DNP

BROAD: 9'8"

POSITIVES

— Big-bodied safety, but close to ideal measurables.

— Can play at all three levels. Shows good athleticism and strength in his play.

— Strong tackler. Does a good job delivering a blow on contact and running through the ball-carrier.

— Makes fast run reads. Flows to the ball quickly and does best with clear reads.

— Shows good range from deep safety.

NEGATIVES

— Lacks top-end speed. Slightly above-average burst and play speed. Receivers can separate downfield, while ball-carriers can take away his angle.

— Missed tackles.

— Poor vision and awareness, leading to being out of position and missed opportunities.

2021 STATISTICS

7 G, 42 TOT, 3.5 TFL, 1 SK, 0 INT, 2 PBU

NOTES

— Transferred from USC after freshman year in 2017.

— Suffered season-ending shoulder injury against North Carolina State in Week 8 of 2021 season.

— Suffered season-ending ankle injury against Florida State in Week 10 of 2019 season.

OVERALL

Bubba Bolden is a versatile safety with ideal size for the NFL. A physical, downhill player, he is a run-first defender with the athleticism to cover.

In the run game, Bolden makes fast reads, where he quickly triggers to the ball. He's strong at the point of attack, running through ball-carriers. Although Bolden does a good job tracking the ball from a distance, he has a few more missed tackles than you would like. He's best in the box or close to the line of scrimmage.

With his size and strength, Bolden lacks some physicality when taking on blocks, allowing blockers to control him at times. He has shown the ability to blitz and play in the backfield of the offense, but he tends to be a bit stiff and robotic when blitzing.

When in coverage, Bolden tends to lack vision and awareness, allowing receivers to run uncovered in his area. As a deep defender, his speed is a question, allowing receivers to create separation while downfield. One of his biggest shortcomings in coverage is his hip tightness, which prevents him from staying in his pedal and turning to run.

Bolden is an athletic safety with great size, but he lacks the production and movement skills for all three levels. He has some holes in his game as both a pass defender and run stopper. As a developmental player, he will need to shore up his game to find a role in the NFL.

GRADE: 6.5 (Potential Role Player - 4th Round)

OVERALL RANK: 158

POSITION RANK: S10

PRO COMPARISON: Chris Conte

Written by B/R NFL Scout Cory Giddings