Slade Bolden

Slade Bolden's Biography

Slade Bolden, an accomplished wide receiver in American football, was born on January 26, 1999. His football career, fraught with trials and tribulations, began at a young age in West Monroe, Louisiana, where he nurtured his talent on teams at West Monroe High School. A multi-sport individual, Bolden didn’t limit himself to only football; he also showcased his athletic prowess on the baseball diamond.

During his junior year of high school, Bolden’s versatility was on full display as he served as both quarterback and receiver, proving his tremendous ability to adapt. He was known for his rushing prowess, amassing 1,370 yards and accomplishing 24 touchdowns, in addition to boasting 906 passing yards with nine touchdown passes. His skills translated well as a receiver as well, catching 15 passes for an impressive gain of 248 yards and four touchdowns. As his high school career transitioned into his senior year, Bolden’s stats only improved. He managed to pass for 1,622 yards and 20 touchdowns, while his rushing prowess remained steady, leaving him with a total of 1,460 yards and 20 touchdowns. The highlight of his high school career came when he was named the Louisiana Gatorade Player of the Year. His exceptional display attracted attention, but he decided to commit to Alabama, choosing them over offers from TCU and LSU. Bolden was rated a three-star recruit.

At the inception of Bolden’s college football career in Alabama, he played in the 2018 opener against Louisville as a true freshman. However, for strategic reasons, he decided to redshirt the year. In his redshirt freshman year in 2019, he managed to catch two passes resulting in a 34-yard gain and showed good performance as a wildcat quarterback. During this time, he rushed four times for a ten-yard gain and also completed a six-yard pass for a touchdown.

Unfortunately, not all instances at Alabama were rosy. During Bolden’s redshirt sophomore year, teammate Jaylen Waddle suffered from a broken ankle, allowing Bolden to step in and become a starter at wide receiver. It was during the climactic 2021 College Football Playoff National Championship that Bolden caught a five-yard pass from Mac Jones and scored his first career touchdown reception, leading the Crimson Tide to a 52-24 victory over Ohio State. He ended that season with 24 receptions for 270 yards, one touchdown, and returned seven punts for 29 yards.

Bolden’s redshirt junior year was prosperous as he made 42 successful passes for 408 yards while accomplishing three touchdowns. His great performance was showcased in the College Football Playoff Semifinal at the Cotton Bowl against Cincinnati where he had a receiving touchdown. In a surprising turn of events, Bolden decided to forgo his final year of eligibility and enter into the 2022 NFL draft after the season.

In the journey to his professional career, he faced a major setback and went undrafted. However, his journey was far from over as the Baltimore Ravens gave him an opportunity and Bolden signed as an undrafted free agent on April 30, 2022. Unfortunately, his tenure with the Ravens ended abruptly when he was waived and placed on injured reserve after an injury on August 23. He was then released on October 18, 2022. Still, Bolden didn’t lose hope. On May 15, 2023, he signed an agreement with the Atlanta Falcons, but yet another setback arose when he was waived on August 29, 2023.

The fighter in Bolden never gave up though, and on January 19, 2024, he signed with the Birmingham Stallions of the United Football League (UFL). While his time in the UFL was short and ended when he was waived again on March 22, 2024, Bolden’s story is a testament to determination and resilience in the face of adversity. However, this pattern of setbacks did not dampen his spirit and he continued to remain a free agent in the league.