Omar Bolden facts for kids
Bolden with the Denver Broncos in 2012
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| No. 31 | |||||||||||
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| Position: | Safety | ||||||||||
| Personal information | |||||||||||
| Born: | December 20, 1988 Ontario, California, U.S. |
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| Height: | 5 ft 10 in (1.78 m) | ||||||||||
| Weight: | 198 lb (90 kg) | ||||||||||
| Career information | |||||||||||
| High school: | Colony (Ontario) | ||||||||||
| College: | Arizona State | ||||||||||
| NFL Draft: | 2012 / Round: 4 / Pick: 101 | ||||||||||
| Career history | |||||||||||
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| Career highlights and awards | |||||||||||
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| Career NFL statistics | |||||||||||
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| Player stats at PFR | |||||||||||
Omar Bolden, born on December 20, 1988, is a former American professional football player. He played as a safety in the National Football League (NFL). Bolden played college football for the Arizona State Sun Devils before being chosen by the Denver Broncos in the 2012 NFL draft.
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Early Life and High School Football
Omar Bolden grew up in Ontario, California. He went to Colony High School, where he was a star player. He played both running back and defensive back.
High School Achievements
In his senior year, Bolden was amazing on the field.
- He ran for over 2,000 yards, scoring 26 touchdowns.
- He gained more than 2,500 all-purpose yards.
- On defense, he made 80 tackles.
- He also blocked two punts and caught one interception.
Bolden helped Colony High School win its first ever CIF title in 2006. He was named the CIF Central Division Most Valuable Player. He was also the Inland Valley Player of the Year.
Starting His High School Career
Omar Bolden first joined the Varsity team as a freshman. This happened during a game against Ontario High School. The game was played at Chaparral High School because a big fire stopped local games. In his first two plays, he fumbled the ball.
Recruitment and Speed
Experts like Rivals.com thought Bolden was a top player. They listed him as the 7th best all-purpose back in the country. He was incredibly fast, running a 4.35-second 40-yard dash in 2006. This was the fastest time at the Scout.com Los Angeles Combine. It was also the fourth-fastest among all players at Scout.com's 13 combines that year.
Bolden chose to play college football at Arizona State. He also had offers from other big schools. These included Southern California, Michigan, Nebraska, Oregon State, and Washington.
College Football Career
Omar Bolden played for the Arizona State Sun Devils. He made a big impact right away.
Freshman Year (2007)
As a freshman, Bolden played in all 13 games. He started in nine of those games.
- He made 33 tackles.
- He broke up six passes.
- He caught one interception and ran it back for a touchdown.
Because of his great play, he was named a First-team Freshman All-American. This honor came from the Football Writers Association of America. He also earned Second-team Freshman All-American honors from Rivals.com and College Football News.
Sophomore Year (2008)
In his second year, Bolden started all 12 games as a cornerback.
- He finished with 49 tackles.
- He broke up seven passes.
- He caught two interceptions.
He received an Honorable Mention for Sophomore All-American from College Football News.
Professional Football Career
Omar Bolden was seen as one of the best cornerback players coming out of college.
Playing for the Denver Broncos
The Denver Broncos chose Bolden in the fourth round of the 2012 NFL draft. He was the 101st player picked overall.
On November 8, 2015, Bolden returned a punt for a touchdown. However, the Broncos lost that game to the Indianapolis Colts.
Bolden was part of the Broncos team that won Super Bowl 50 on February 7, 2016. In that game, the Broncos beat the Carolina Panthers 24–10. Bolden did not play in the Super Bowl because he was on injured reserve.
Bolden holds some impressive records for the Denver Broncos:
- He has the highest average yards per kickoff return in a season (33.0 yards in 2014).
- He also has the highest average yards per punt return in a season (24.6 yards in 2015).
Time with the Chicago Bears
Bolden signed with the Chicago Bears on March 31, 2016. However, he was released by the team on July 22, 2016, just one week before training camp began.
Retirement from Football
Omar Bolden officially retired from the NFL on October 20, 2017.
