2017 NFL Draft Player Profile: Victor Bolden Jr.

2017 NFL DRAFT PROFILE

• NAME: Victor Bolden Jr.
• POSITION: Wide Receiver/Special Teams Returner/Running Back
• HT/WT: 5’ 9”, 180 lbs.
• 40 TIME: 4.54 (2017)

2016 STATS (SENIOR SEASON)

WR - 46 REC, 542 REC YDS, 2 TDS

KR - 27 KR, 642 RET YDS, 1 TD

PR - 14 PR, 64 RET YDS, 0 TD

RB - 28 RUSH, 329 YDS, 2 TD

A speedy and talented play-maker, it’s no secret to Oregon State fans just what Victor Bolden Jr. can bring to the table, even at the next level. However, it’ll mean an NFL team needs to take a chance and give the former Beavers stand-out, the valuable on-field experience necessary to display his exploits.

Standing at just 5’ 9” and 180 pounds, it’s obvious that Bolden Jr.’s biggest skill needs to be his elusive speed, which will likely peg him as more of a special teams returner than a slot wide receiver at the next level. Yet, within the right system, Bolden Jr. can emulate a “Dexter McCluster” type of hybrid role, where he comes out of the backfield in moments, lines up at wide receiver occasionally and takes care of special teams duties all the time.

For members of Beaver nation, it’ll be hard to forget Bolden Jr.’s now famous “fly sweep” plays, where he would simply catch the edge of the line and spring himself downfield untouched and it’s a unique type of play for him to show off for NFL scouts. No doubt, NFL teams will be intrigued by Bolden Jr.’s “big-play potential” but it’s his down-by-down consistency that’ll need to improve. It’s also likely the reason that Bolden Jr. will fail to hear his name called over the course of the seven-round draft.

With less than a week until the start of the NFL Draft, CBS Sports ranks Bolden Jr. as the 623rd best talent in the 2017 draft pool and the 74th best player at his position. He is projected to go un-drafted but he could sneak into the later rounds, if a team was impressed enough by his serviceable display at the NFL Combine or at Oregon State’s Pro Day. It is rumored that the New York Jets did meet with the speedster during Pro Day and that they could potentially be a suitor for his services, as the draft goes on. This is what CBS Sports’ Rob Rang had to say about the Beavers star back in 2015.

"Like Markus Wheaton and Brandin Cooks before him, Bolden is a quick accelerator who can erase pursuit angles. Bolden isn't just fast, he's quick, possesses the balance to spin off glancing blows and has good vision to set up blocks, all of which make him a legitimate scoring threat each time he touches the ball. He's at his best on quick screens, slants and fly-sweeps where he can easily collect the ball in space and use his creativity to elude defenders. He's lightning quick off the ball, showing the burst and enough strength to slip by press coverage." - Rob Rang (CBS Sports - 2015)

Victor Bolden Jr.’s “2017 NFL Draft Player Profile” is the first in our series chronicling Oregon State’s six NFL Draft prospects in the days leading up to Thursday night’s NFL Draft. The rest will be released in the following order on the following days:

• VICTOR BOLDEN JR. (FRI 4/21)
• DEVIN CHAPPELL (SAT 4/22)
• TRESTON DECOUD (SUN 4/23)
• SEAN HARLOW (MON 4/24)
• GAVIN ANDREWS (TUES 4/25)
• DUSTIN STANTON (WED 4/26)