Before the NFL’s window for pre-draft visits closed Wednesday, the New England Patriots brought a possible late-round flier to Gillette Stadium for closer evaluation.
The Patriots hosted Jackson State cornerback/return specialist Isaiah Bolden for a top-30 visit, according to a report from NFL Media’s Tom Pelissero.
Bolden began his college career at Florida State, then transferred to Jackson State in 2020 after Deion Sanders took over as head coach of the HBCU program. He emerged as one of the nation’s premier return men in 2021, leading all of Division I in kick-return average (36.9 yards per) and scoring two kick-return touchdowns.
The 23-year-old didn’t see much defensive action until last season, when he became a starting cornerback for Jackson State and tallied seven pass breakups in 13 games (11 starts). Earlier this year, the Memphis Showboats took him with the 11th overall pick in the USFL draft.
Bolden will be selected much, much later in the 2023 NFL Draft, if he’s drafted at all. The Athletic’s Dane Brugler projected him as a priority free agent and listed him as a safety in his 2023 draft guide. Bolden was not invited to the NFL Scouting Combine and does not have a draft profile page on NFL.com.
He does, however, boast some enticing physical tools. At his pro day last month, Bolden ran a 4.33-second 40-yard dash at 6-foot-2, 201 pounds. His vertical jump (38 inches) and broad jump (10 feet, 9 inches) also were impressive, though his 4.63-second short shuttle was well below average for a cornerback or safety.
“Today, I made me some money,” Bolden told reporters at his pro day, via the Clarion Ledger. “I proved the doubters wrong. I had a mentality and an edge to me. People were critiquing what I was going to run and what I was going to jump. I did everything they thought I was going to do.”
The Patriots are set to return their entire cornerback group from last season and nearly all of their safeties, save for the retired Devin McCourty. They lacked size and length at corner in 2022, though, and could view the tall, rangy Bolden as a worthwhile Day 3 dart throw.
New England also hosted Clemson defensive end Myles Murphy — a projected first-round pick — for a visit this week.
