Omar Bolden looks forward to NFL future

A year ago Arizona State cornerback Omar Bolden didn’t know what where his football career was headed.

Today there is still uncertainty, but his future looks brighter than it did last spring when the All-Pac-10 selection was diagnosed with a tore ACL in his left knee ending his senior season before it ever started.

Through hard work and determination, Bolden is back and climbing up some teams draft boards after posting impressive strength numbers at the NFL Combine in Indianapolis and running an unofficial 4.45 40 without a knee brace at ASU’s pro day last month.

With the draft just around the corner Bolden, who’s expected to be a mid to late-round pick, says it only takes one team to show belief that he has overcome the injury.

“At the end of the day, it’s all about what teams like you and how they feel about you,” Bolden told Brad Cesmat Wednesday on ‘Big Guy on Sports.’ “How they feel may not be what these ‘experts’ see. I would be happy to play for any organization who will have me. I can’t wait to see how it unfolds.”

It’s been a busy several weeks for the 5’10, 202-pound speedster who also has the ability to return kicks at the next level. Bolden has visited or worked out for the Cardinals, Giants, Patriots, Broncos, Redskins and Jets. He feels Washington, Denver and New England could be calling his name next weekend.

Bolden said he will watch the draft with family and close friends, but joked it can’t come soon enough.

“These next eight or nine days are going to go by pretty slow. You never know how [the draft] turns out.”

A Valley native, Eric has had a passion for the Arizona sports scene since an early age. He has covered some of the biggest events including Super Bowls, national championships and the NBA and MLB playoffs in his near 20 years in local media.