- 2020 Butkus Award Finalist
- 2020 Second Team All-American (AP, The Athletic, FWAA, AFCA, Phil Steele, Walter Camp)
- 2020 First Team All-SEC (AP, Coaches)
- 2020 Third Team All-SEC (PFF)
- 2020 Jason Witten Man of the Year Semifinalist
- 2020 SEC Community Service Team
- 2020 Athlon Sports Preseason First Team All-American
- 2020 Nagurski Trophy Watch List
- 2020 Phil Steele Preseason Second Team All-American
- 2020 SEC Academic Honor Roll
- 2019 First Team All-SEC (AP, Coaches)
- 2019 Third team All-American (Pro Football Focus)
- 2019 SEC Academic Honor Roll
- 2018-19 First-Year SEC Academic Honor Roll
- SEC's Top Graded Linebacker (91.1 in 2019)
- SEC's Leading Tackler - 8.92/game (2019)
- SEC Defensive Player of the Week (9/9/19)
- SEC Defensive Player of the Year (10/26/20)
- FWAA Bronko Nagurski National Defensive Player of the Week (10/13/20)
2020 SEASON
Solidified himself as one of the nation’s best linebackers during his junior campaign, as he was named a Butkus Award Finalist and was recognized as a second-team All-American by six different publications (AP, The Athletic, FWAA, AFCA, Phil Steele, Walter Camp) … Earned All-SEC First Team honors by both the AP and league’s coaches … Named to All-SEC Third Team by PFF, graded as the second-highest LB in the SEC (74.7) … Amassed a team-high 95 tackles and led the SEC with 67 solo tackles and 8.0 TFL, to go along  with 5 PBU and 2.0 sacks in 2020 … Also ranked in the SEC’s top-15 in tackles per game (9.5, seventh) and tackles-for-loss (8.0, 13th) … Recorded at least seven tackles in every game he played both halves and reached double-digits four times in 2020 … Had career-high 17 tackles at No. 21/20 Tennessee (10/3/20), the most by a Tiger since 2008 (Sean Weatherspoon – 20) … Earned FWAA Bronko Nagurski National Defensive Player of the Week after recording 11 tackles and 3 PD vs. No. 17/16 LSU (10/10/20) … Played every snap (36) vs. Kentucky (10/24/20) and had 7 tackles with 1.0 sack, was named SEC Defensive Player of the Week … Had 14 tackles & 2.0 TFL at South Carolina (11/21/20), his fourth game of 2020 & ninth career game with 10+ tackles
2019 SEASON
Was one of the nation’s most dominant linebackers through the entirety of the 2019 season, despite taking on an expanded role following the injury to starting MLB Cale Garrett, who was also having an All-American caliber season at the time of his injury … Pro Football Focus Third Team All-American during his true sophomore season … Earned a season-grade of 91.1 from Pro Football Focus, making him the SEC’s top-graded linebacker … Earned All-SEC First Team honors from both the league’s coaches and the Associated Press after posting a team-best 107 tackles … His 107 tackles were the SEC’s top-mark during the regular season, and only LSU’s Jacob Phillips, who played in 15 games vs. Bolton’s 12, finished ahead of Bolton on the SEC tackle chart (113 in 15 games) … His 8.92 tackles per game were far-and-away the best mark in the league, besting Arkansas De’Jon Harris (8.42 per game) … Also added 9.0 tackles for loss, 1.0 sack, two interceptions, eight pass breakups and three quarterback hurries during his true sophomore season, developing into one of the nation’s elite linebackers … His 74 solo tackles were 15 more than any other defender in the SEC … Ranked 31st nationally in tackles per game while his 74 solo tackles were fifth nationally … Led the SEC with 80 tackles in eight league games (10.0 per game) … ProFootballFocus .com rated him as the No. 3 defender against the run in the SEC … Named SEC Defensive Player of the Week for the first time in his career on Sept. 9, following a 10-tackle, two-interception performance in Mizzou’s 38-7 win over West Virginia (9/7) … At the time, he was just the second Mizzou linebacker to earn the award since Mizzou joined the league … In that game, he became the first Mizzou player since Sean Weatherspoon (recorded a 35-yard interception return for a touchdown in a 52-42 victory over Illinois on Aug. 30, 2008) to record two interceptions in the same game with at least one being a touchdown return … Of course, Weatherspoon is one of Mizzou's all-time greatest players and a former first-round draft pick, so Bolton found himself among pretty elite company … He also became the first Tiger linebacker with a pair of interceptions in a game since 2015, when All-American Kentrell Brothers had two picks against Arkansas State … Posted double-digit tackle totals in five of Mizzou’s 12 games and all five of those games were against Power 5 opponents … Tallied a game-high and career-high 15 tackles (11 solo) at Vanderbilt (10/19), adding a career-high 3.0 tackles for loss … Posted 12 tackles at Kentucky (10/26) … Had 2.0 tackles for loss against both West Virginia (9/7) and at No. 4 Georgia (11/9), including his first sack of the season at Georgia.
2018 SEASON
Impressive linebacking talent who earned playing time in all 13 games as a true freshman, ranking 15th on the squad overall with 22 tackles ... Began by making a good impression on various special teams units while working his way up the depth chart, and then began getting increased playing time on defense at the weakside spot ... Stood out at No. 1 Alabama (10/13), as he made a career-best eight tackles when he took over for star LB Terez Hall, who was ejected on a targeting call early in the game ... Posted a four tackles in Mizzou's bowl game against Oklahoma State (12/31) and made two tackles each against Memphis (10/27) and at South Carolina (10/6).
PRIOR TO MIZZOU
Physical middle linebacker who has a high football IQ and great vision … Was a proven leader at Frisco Lone Star, earning District MVP honors twice … Has a great blend of strength and ability that allows him to fill gaps and play fundamentally sound at the middle linebacker spot …  A three-star prospect at inside linebacker according to Rivals, which had him rated as the No. 33 inside linebacker in the class … 247Sports and ESPN both rated him as a three-star prospect … As a senior, he was named District 13-5A Defensive MVP for the second consecutive season after totaling 130 tackles, with 16 tackles for loss and five interceptions … Named 2016 District 13-5A Defensive MVP after totaling 111 tackles, seven tackles for loss, three forced fumbles and one interception … In 2015, he totaled 81 tackles with three interceptions and four sacks … Named the No. 5 linebacker in the Dallas-Fort Worth area by the Dallas Morning News … Lone Star Prospects rated him as a Texas Top 50 recruit … Morning News First-Team All-State at linebacker … Guided Frisco Lone Star to a 12-2 record with an appearance in the regional final as a senior … Chose Mizzou over offers from Mississippi State, Washington, Boston College, Colorado, Houston, Utah, Indiana and Kansas, among others … Cited his relationship with both Hargreaves as a key reason for his commitment, appreciating his honesty and straightforwardness during the recruiting process.
