Jackson State football player Isaiah Bolden turning pro, selected for NFLPA Collegiate Bowl
Jackson State University cornerback Isaiah Bolden has decided to turn pro and has been selected to play in the NFLPA Collegiate Bowl. He could have returned to JSU for another year or gone to Colorado and played for coach Deion Sanders. Bolden has earned a degree in interdisciplinary studies.
After a season of going against the nation's No.1 recruit, Travis Hunter, along with Shane Hooks, Dallas Daniels, Willie Gaines, Rico Powers and Malachi Wideman in practice, Bolden felt ready to take his talents to the NFL. Prior to coming to JSU, he played for two seasons at Florida State. When Sanders became coach at Jackson State, he promised to help get Bolden to the NFL.
"Coach Sanders wanted me to come to Colorado with him," Bolden said. "I felt that I was ready to do what I wanted to do. He (Sanders) gave me his blessing to go pro."
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Bolden said he split in his matchups defending Hunter in practice and held his own against the other receivers at JSU. He said the only thing NFL scouts told him is they want to see him compete against better competition, and the Collegiate Bowl offers that opportunity. Bolden (6-foot-2, 205 pounds) checks all the boxes as an athlete -- long, lean, athletic and with 4.3 40-yard dash speed. He is currently in Fort Worth, Texas, training for the NFL Combine and JSU's Pro Day with Daniels.
This season, Bolden made 44 tackles (30 solo), with 2.5 tackles for loss, one fumble recovery, and seven pass breakups and averaged 26 yards on kickoff returns. He made career-high nine tackles and had a 31-yard kickoff return vs. Alabama State and tallied five tackles and a career-best three pass breakups vs. Alcorn.
Bolden was named to the All-Southwestern Athletic Conference teams by the SWAC (second-team cornerback) and Phil Steele (fourth-team kick returner). In 2021, he was first-team All-SWAC and FCS All-American as a returner specialist.
Bolden's favorite moment at Jackson State was winning Sanders' first SWAC championship.
"Overall, even though we came up short this season. I enjoyed this season," Bolden said. "Coach Sanders groomed me in how to be a professional. I love coach Prime, he's my guy."
The NFLPA Collegiate Bowl is an all-star game featuring draft-eligible college football prospects. Participants are coached by a group of NFL legends and Hall of Famers. The game is scheduled for Jan. 28 at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, Calif.
This article originally appeared on Mississippi Clarion Ledger: Jackson State football: Isaiah Bolden heads to NFL after all-star game
