LOOK: Broncos LB Nik Bonitto reacts to NFL debut
Nik Bonitto has possessed exceptional pass rushing ability for quite some time. It was only a matter of time before he made his way into the National Football League. That doesn’t mean the former Oklahoma star doesn’t truly appreciate living out his lifelong dream. On Saturday, he finally got his first taste of NFL action against the Dallas Cowboys in the preseason. He flashed the same quickness that made him one of college football’s most dominant pass rushers the past few years.
Check out what he tweeted on Sunday afternoon.
“Still can’t believe I played my first nfl game yesterday,” he tweeted on Sunday morning.
The Broncos made his dreams come true during the 2022 NFL Draft, drafting the linebacker No. 64 overall. The full contract details were released for the shiny, new toy joining the AFC West, as Aaron Wilson of Pro Football Network revealed them.
“Denver Broncos’ deal for second-round pick Nik Bonitto: $5.801 million, $1.399 million signing bonus, salaries $705,000, $968,722, $1.232 million, $1.496 million,” tweeted Wilson.
All that’s left for Bonitto is to prove why Denver was so high on him. Joining a defense full of impressive talents — like Bradley Chubb, Randy Gregory, and Pat Surtain II — the former Sooners star will have a litany of opportunities.
The Broncos believed in Bonitto. Now, the newly-minted rookie can repay their confidence with a solid start to his NFL career. There’s no reason to expect anything less if his collegiate career is any indication.
More on Nik Bonitto and joining the Denver Broncos
The Broncos had the former Oklahoma linebacker penciled in on their list of potential draftees. He spent the past four years with the Sooners, working his way up to eventually become one of the team leaders on defense.
That, plus months of pre-draft evaluation led Denver to ultimately pull the trigger, selecting him No. 64 overall in the 2022 NFL Draft.
Pro Football Focus named Bonitto the Big 12 Defensive Player of the Year this past season after he finished with 39 tackles (15 for loss), seven sacks and three fumble recoveries. He was also named second team All-Big 12 by the league’s coaches. The Sooners claimed conference championships in each of Bonitto’s first three seasons, but failed to make the game this past year.
Bonitto was a four-star recruit coming out of high school in 2018, and ranked as the No. 24 linebacker in the class according to On3 Consensus Rankings, a complete and equally weighted industry-generated average. He redshirted his first season in Norman, playing in only three games. The next season, he started as a backup linebacker before earning a starting role for the final eight games of the year. He broke out as a redshirt sophomore, finishing with 33 tackles (11.5 for loss), nine sacks and 10 quarterback hurries to earn first-team All-American honors from the AP.
At the NFL Scouting Combine in March, Bonitto performed in the defensive end drills rather than at linebacker. He posted a 40-yard dash time of 4.54, which ranked fifth among the defensive ends who participated. He also posted a time of 7.07 seconds in the three-cone drill, which ranked third.
On3’s Stephen Samra also contributed to this article.