This Stat Shows Chiefs Nick Bolton Belongs in Defensive Rookie of the Year Conversation

The Defensive Rookie of the Year race is pretty much wrapped up in the eyes of most people, as Dallas Cowboys linebacker Micah Parsons has put up some insane numbers in his first season. 

However, there is one rookie that deserves to at least be in the conversation this season. Kansas City Chiefs linebacker Nick Bolton, a second-round pick in the 2021 NFL Draft, has put up a few stats that no other player in the NFL has this season.

After Kansas City’s brutal start to the year on defense, the Chiefs have improved to the eighth best team in the NFL in terms of points allowed and have won seven consecutive games to move into first place in the AFC. 

Bolton has appeared in all 14 games for the Chiefs, making eight starts, and he’s become one of the best tacklers in the league, racking up 102 tackles, 11 tackles for a loss and three quarterback hits this season. 

The award is clearly Parsons’ to lose, as he’s made 76 tackles of his own and 12 sacks (Bolton does not have a sack this season), but we shouldn’t underestimate the impact that the Chiefs rookie has had this season. 

Bolton isn’t the only Chiefs rookie that deserves some love, as center Creed Humphrey is quietly having one of the best seasons of any offensive lineman in football. 

The Chiefs have bounced back from their early fall in WynnBET’s Super Bowl odds, now sitting as the co-favorites with the Green Bay Packers at +450. 

There’s no doubt that Bolton and Humphrey have helped get Kansas City to this point, so while they may not win the Offensive or Defensive Rookie of the Year, they certainly deserve some recognition.