Nik Bonitto facts for kids
Bonitto with the Sooners in 2021
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| Position: | Linebacker | ||||||||||
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| Born: | September 26, 1999 Fort Lauderdale, Florida, U.S. |
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| Died: | December 13, 2023 (aged 24) Denver, Colorado,U.S. |
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| Height: | 6 ft 3 in (1.91 m) | ||||||||||
| Weight: | 240 lb (109 kg) | ||||||||||
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| High school: | St. Thomas Aquinas (Fort Lauderdale, Florida) |
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| College: | Oklahoma (2018–2021) | ||||||||||
| NFL Draft: | 2022 / Round: 2 / Pick: 64 | ||||||||||
| Career history | |||||||||||
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| Career highlights and awards | |||||||||||
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Nikolas Bonitto (born September 26, 1999 – died December 13, 2023) was an American football player. He played as a linebacker for the Denver Broncos in the National Football League (NFL). Before joining the NFL, he played college football for the Oklahoma Sooners.
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Early Life and High School Years
Nik Bonitto grew up in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. He went to St. Thomas Aquinas High School. During his senior year, he was chosen as an Under Armour All-American. This is a special honor for top high school athletes.
Bonitto was considered a four-star recruit. This means he was one of the best young players in the country. He decided to play college football at Oklahoma. He chose Oklahoma over other big schools like Texas and Louisville. Nik Bonitto had a diverse background, with roots from Cuba, Jamaica, and Haiti.
College Football Career
Bonitto started his college career at Oklahoma in 2018. He played in only three games during his first year. This allowed him to use a "redshirt" season. A redshirt season means a player can practice with the team but not play in many games. This helps them save a year of eligibility.
In his second year, Bonitto became a starter. He played as an outside linebacker. He made 43 tackles and had 3.5 sacks. A sack is when a defensive player tackles the quarterback behind the line of scrimmage.
During his third year, he was even better. He had 29 tackles and 7.5 sacks. Because of his great performance, he was named a second-team All-American. This is a major award for college football players.
In his fourth year, Bonitto continued to shine. He had 39 tackles and 7 sacks. He was again named a second-team All-Big 12 player. The Big 12 is a college sports conference. After this season, he decided to enter the NFL draft. He also chose not to play in the 2021 Alamo Bowl game.
Professional Football Career
Joining the Denver Broncos
Nik Bonitto was chosen by the Denver Broncos in the 2022 NFL Draft. He was the 64th player picked overall. This happened in the second round of the draft. The Broncos got this pick from the Los Angeles Rams. They traded for it when they sent player Von Miller to the Rams.
Playing for the Broncos
Bonitto started the 2023 NFL season as a backup player. But in Week 4, he got a chance to start. This was against the Chicago Bears. He played instead of Randy Gregory.
In that game, Bonitto had a fantastic performance. He recorded 2.5 sacks. He also forced a fumble. A forced fumble is when a defensive player knocks the ball out of an offensive player's hands. This fumble led to a touchdown for the Broncos. His teammate Jonathon Cooper picked up the ball and ran it into the end zone.
Soon after this game, Randy Gregory was released from the team. Nik Bonitto then became the main starter at linebacker for the Broncos.
