(Photo courtesy of Steve Hamm)
When Nick Bolton was playing football at Lone Star High School, his coach knew he was going to help a college program. Whether the linebacker played or not
at the college level, said Lone Star coach Jeff Rayburn, he’s going to make the program better.
Bolton was just that kind of person, Rayburn said.
There was never really any question, however, that Bolton would be a big on-field contributor for a long time. After making 241 tackles and intercepting six passes in his final two seasons at Lone Star, Bolton became a star at Missouri. On Sunday (Feb.
12), he’ll be one of the leaders of the Kansas City Chiefs as they play the Philadelphia Eagles in Super Bowl LVII.
Bolton won’t be hard to find in Sunday’s game, which will be played at State Farm Stadium in Glendale, Ariz. (kickoff at 5:30 p.m. Texas time). That adds some excitement to the game for the Lone Star students and community, as well as all
of Frisco ISD.
“We’re super proud of everything he’s accomplished and the person that he is,” Rayburn said. “And it’s not surprising to us.”
Bolton was a four-year starter for Lone Star. It’s a rarity for a freshman to play a significant role on a varsity football team, and especially at a powerhouse program such as Lone Star. But Bolton was a leader for Lone Star, even as a freshman.
“He went out there at middle linebacker and played like a veteran from day one,” Rayburn said. “The way he orchestrated the defense was pretty remarkable.”
Bolton, a 2018 Lone Star graduate, is trying to match the Super Bowl title of another Frisco ISD graduate, Jay Ajayi. The running back, who graduated from Liberty in 2011, played for the Philadelphia Eagles as they won the Super Bowl in 2018.
Two other Frisco ISD alums played in the NFL playoffs this year. Minnesota Vikings running back and kick returner Kene Nwangwu is a 2016 Heritage graduate, and New York Giants offensive lineman Jack Anderson is a 2017 Frisco graduate.
Bolton is in just his second season in the NFL, but he led the Chiefs in tackles this year. Some of his more experienced teammates have offered advice about how to handle the spectacle of the Super Bowl, and all the distractions that come with
it. Bolton talked about it during an interview with Super Bowl media members last week.
“Just kind of control what you can control, put your best foot forward in football, and let everything else on the outside handle itself,” Bolton said. “I kind of feel like that’s been important just for me, and a lot of
the other young guys we’ve got on defense.”
Bolton was selected by the Chiefs in the second round of the 2021 NFL draft. He was an almost immediate star with the team, making 112 tackles as a rookie. He has 180 tackles this season, along with two interceptions.