Nik Bonitto
{{Short description|American football player (born 1999)}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=May 2023}}
{{Infobox NFL biography
| name = Nik Bonitto
| image = Nik Bonitto.png
| image_size =
| alt =
| caption = Bonitto with the Oklahoma Sooners in 2021
| current_team = Denver Broncos
| number = 15
| position = Linebacker
| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1999|9|26}}
| birth_place = Fort Lauderdale, Florida, U.S.
| death_date =
| death_place =
| height_ft = 6
| height_in = 3
| weight_lb = 240
| high_school = St. Thomas Aquinas
(Fort Lauderdale, Florida)
| college = Oklahoma (2018–2021)
| draftyear = 2022
| draftround = 2
| draftpick = 64
| pastteams =
- Denver Broncos ({{NFL Year|2022}}–present)
| status = Active
| highlights =
- Second-team All-Pro (2024)
- Pro Bowl (2024)
- Second-team All-American (2020)
- Third-team All-American (2021)
- 2× Second-team All-Big 12 (2020, 2021)
| statseason = 2024
| statweek =
| statlabel1 = Total tackles
| statvalue1 = 92
| statlabel2 = Sacks
| statvalue2 = 23.0
| statlabel3 = Forced fumbles
| statvalue3 = 4
| statlabel4 = Fumble recoveries
| statvalue4 = 1
| statlabel5 = Pass deflections
| statvalue5 = 6
| statlabel6 = Interceptions
| statvalue6 = 1
| statlabel7 = Defensive touchdowns
| statvalue7 = 2
| pfr = B/BoniNi00
}}
Nikolas Bonitto ({{Respell|bo|-|NEE|-|toe}}; born September 26, 1999) is an American professional football linebacker for the Denver Broncos of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the Oklahoma Sooners.
Early life
Bonitto grew up in Fort Lauderdale, Florida and attended St. Thomas Aquinas High School. He was named an Under Armour All-American as a senior.{{Cite web |last=Furones |first=David |date=January 4, 2018 |title=St. Thomas' Nik Bonitto commits to Oklahoma, has already signed with the Sooners |url=https://www.sun-sentinel.com/sports/highschool/recruiting/fl-sp-hs-ua-all-america-bonitto-20180104-story.html |access-date=May 27, 2023 |work=Sun Sentinel}} Bonitto was rated a four-star recruit and committed to play college football at Oklahoma over offers from Texas and Louisville.{{Cite web |last=Nathan |first=Alec |date=January 4, 2018 |title=4-Star DE Prospect Nik Bonitto Commits to Oklahoma over Louisville, Texas |url=https://bleacherreport.com/articles/2693678-4-star-de-prospect-nik-bonitto-commits-to-oklahoma-over-louisville-texas |access-date=May 27, 2023 |work=Bleacher Report}} He is of Cuban, Jamaican and Haitian descent.{{Cite web|url=https://www.9news.com/article/sports/nfl/denver-broncos/mike-klis/nik-bonitto-good-feeling-broncos-earlier-visit/73-31eb7b5e-4f48-4bd2-bfd2-64abdf99c0c1|title='Baby Feet' Bonitto had good feeling about Broncos from earlier visit|date=May 2, 2022|website=KUSA.com}}
College career
Bonitto played in three games as a true freshman before using a redshirt on the season.{{Cite web |last=Palmateer |first=Tyler |date=October 21, 2019 |title=Nik Bonitto's growth key as OU deals with injury at outside linebacker |url=https://www.normantranscript.com/sports/all_ou_sports/ou-football-nik-bonitto-s-growth-key-as-ou-deals-with-injury-at-outside-linebacker/article_6a0ac02f-5b39-5ab7-a709-566722cfdc59.html |access-date=May 27, 2023 |work=Norman Transcript}} He became a starter at outside linebacker six games into his redshirt freshman season and finished the year with 43 tackles, 6.5 tackles for loss and 3.5 sacks.{{Cite web |last=Helmer |first=Joey |date=September 9, 2020 |title=Bonitto enters fall ready to build on growth from last season |url=https://247sports.com/college/oklahoma/Article/Nik-Bonitto-Oklahoma-Sooners-linebacker-151247032/ |access-date=May 27, 2023 |website=247sports.com}}{{Cite web |last=Kersey |first=Jason |date=December 27, 2019 |title=How Oklahoma finally made inroads at powerhouse St. Thomas Aquinas, Joe Castiglione's prep alma mater |url=https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/1489646/2019/12/27/oklahoma-inroads-at-powerhouse-st-thomas-aquinas-joe-castigliones-prep-alma-mater/ |access-date=May 27, 2023 |work=The Athletic}}{{Cite web |last=Aber |first=Ryan |date=November 19, 2020 |title=OU football: Nik Bonitto's versatilty figures to be a big asset for Sooners in Bedlam |url=https://oklahoman.com/article/5676563/ou-football-nik-bonittos-versatilty-figures-to-be-a-big-asset-for-sooners-in-bedlam |access-date=May 27, 2023 |work=The Oklahoman}} As a redshirt sophomore, he recorded 29 tackles with ten tackles for loss and 7.5 sacks and was named a second-team All-American by the Associated Press.{{Cite web |last=Aber |first=Ryan |date=December 27, 2020 |title=AP All-America football team 2020: Tulsa's Zaven Collins makes first-team, OU's Nik Bonitto second-team |url=https://oklahoman.com/article/5679234/tulsas-zaven-collins-named-first-team-ap-all-american-ous-nik-bonitto-second-team |access-date=May 27, 2023 |work=The Oklahoman}} Bonitto repeated as a second-team All-Big 12 selection after finishing his redshirt junior season with 39 total tackles, 15 tackles for loss, 7 sacks and one forced fumble. Following the conclusion of the regular season, he announced his decision to forgo his redshirt senior season and enter the 2022 NFL draft as well as opt out of the 2021 Alamo Bowl.{{Cite web |last=Coyle |first=R.J. |date=December 6, 2021 |title=Oklahoma LB Nik Bonitto opts out of Alamo Bowl, declares for NFL draft |url=https://www.dallasnews.com/sports/oklahoma-sooners/2021/12/06/oklahoma-lb-nik-bonitto-opts-out-of-alamo-bowl-declares-for-nfl-draft/ |access-date=December 7, 2021 |work=The Dallas Morning News}}
Professional career
{{NFL predraft
| height ft = 6
| height in = 3
| weight = 248
| dash = 4.54
| ten split = 1.53
| twenty split = 2.63
| shuttle = 4.23
| cone drill = 7.04
| vertical = 35.5
| broad ft = 10
| broad in = 0
| bench = 22
| arm span = 32 1/2
| hand span = 9 3/8
| wonderlic =
| note = All values from NFL Combine/Pro Day{{Cite web |url=https://www.nfl.com/prospects/nik-bonitto/3200424f-4e49-0179-eaad-5763d16ae6ae |title=Nik Bonitto Draft and Combine Prospect Profile |website=NFL.com |access-date=March 20, 2022}}{{cite web | last=Brugler | first=Dane | title=NFL Combine: Official measurements for every NFL Draft prospect in Indianapolis | website=The Athletic | date=2022-03-07 | url=https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/3166900/2022/03/07/nfl-combine-official-measurements-for-every-nfl-draft-prospect-in-indianapolis/ | access-date=2024-10-07}}{{Cite web |url=https://draftscout.com/dsprofile.php?PlayerId=1022808&DraftYear=2022 |title=Nik Bonitto, Oklahoma, OLB, 2022 NFL Draft Scout, NCAA College Football |website=draftscout.com |access-date=March 20, 2022}}
}}
Bonitto was selected by the Denver Broncos with the 64th pick in the second round of the 2022 NFL draft.{{Cite web |last=DiLalla |first=Aric |date=April 29, 2022 |title=Broncos select OLB Nik Bonitto with 64th-overall pick |url=https://www.denverbroncos.com/news/2022-nfl-draft-broncos-olb-nik-bonitto-64th-overall-pick-oklahoma |access-date=May 27, 2023 |website=DenverBroncos.com}} The Broncos used the selection previously obtained from the Los Angeles Rams in a trade for Von Miller.{{cite web | last=Kosmider | first=Nick | title=How linebacker Nik Bonitto turned into jewel of Von Miller trade for Broncos | website=The Athletic | date=2024-11-15 | url=https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/5922840/2024/11/15/broncos-nik-bonitto-linebacker-von-miller-trade/ | access-date=2025-01-01}}
After starting the 2023 season as a backup, Bonitto started over Randy Gregory in the Week 4 matchup against the Chicago Bears. He recorded 2.5 sacks and a forced fumble that led to a scoop and score by Jonathon Cooper in the game.{{cite web | last=Scataglia | first=Lou | title=Denver Broncos young pass-rush duo is showing a ton of early promise in 2023 | website=Predominantly Orange | date=2023-10-03 | url=https://predominantlyorange.com/posts/denver-broncos-young-pass-rush-duo-showing-ton-of-early-promise-in-2023 | access-date=2024-11-30}}{{cite web | last=Heath | first=Jon | title=WATCH: Jonathon Cooper scores after Nik Bonitto strip-sack | website=Yahoo! Sports | date=2023-10-01 | url=https://sports.yahoo.com/watch-jonathon-cooper-scores-nik-193109691.html | access-date=2024-11-30}} Gregory was traded soon after and Bonitto was named the starter.
During the 2024 season, Bonitto became the first Broncos player to have double digit sacks since Von Miller and Bradley Chubb in 2018. In Week 13 on Monday Night Football against the Cleveland Browns, Bonitto intercepted a pass from Jameis Winston, returning it 70 yards for his first career touchdown.{{Cite web |last=Sarles |first=Jesse |date=2024-12-02 |title=Broncos linebacker Nik Bonitto scores first career defensive touchdown - CBS Colorado |url=https://www.cbsnews.com/colorado/news/nik-bonitto-scores-defensive-touchdown-first-career-denver-broncos/ |access-date=2024-12-05 |website=CBS News |language=}} Then two weeks later, Bonitto scored his second touchdown of the season on a 50-yard fumble return against the Indianapolis Colts.{{cite web |url=https://www.espn.com/nfl/story/_/id/42992355/nik-bonitto-denver-broncos-fumble-return-touchdown-trick-play |title=Nik Bonitto extends Broncos' lead on 50-yard return |date=December 15, 2024 |last=Legwold |first=Jeff |website=espn.com}}
He finished the season with 13.5 sacks and as a result he made his first Pro Bowl appearance and made the 2nd team All-Pro.{{Cite web |title=Nik Bonitto 2024 Game Log |url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/players/B/BoniNi00.htm |access-date=2025-05-28 |website=Pro-Football-Reference.com |language=en}}
NFL career statistics
| class="wikitable"
!colspan="2"|Legend |
| style="background:#cfecec; width:3em;"|
| Led the league |
| Bold
|Career high |
=Regular season=
| class= "wikitable" style="text-align:center;" | ||||||||||||||
| rowspan="2"| Year
! rowspan="2"| Team ! colspan="2"| Games ! colspan="5"| Tackles ! colspan="4"| Fumbles ! colspan="4"| Interceptions | ||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| GP | GS | Cmb | Solo | Ast | Sck | TFL | FF | FR | Yds | TD | PD | Int | Yds | TD |
| 2022 || DEN
|15|| 1 || 14 || 6 || 8 || 1.5 || 1 || 1 || 0 || 0 || 0 || 0 || 0 || 0 || 0 | ||||||||||||||
| 2023 || DEN
|15|| 4 || 30 || 23 || 7 || 8.0 || 13 || 1 || 0 || 0 || 0 || 2 || 0 || 0 || 0 | ||||||||||||||
| 2024 || DEN
|17 || 15 || 48 || 33 || 15 || 13.5 || 16 || 2 || 1 || 50 ||style="background:#cfecec;"|1 || 3 || 1 || 71 || 1 | ||||||||||||||
| colspan="2"|[https://www.pro-football-reference.com/players/B/BoniNi00.htm Career]
!47 | 20 | 92 | 62 | 30 | 23.0 | 30 | 4 | 1 | 50 | 1 | 5 | 1 | 71 | 1 |
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
{{footballstats|espn=4360259}}
- [https://www.denverbroncos.com/team/players-roster/nik-bonitto/ Denver Broncos bio]
- [https://soonersports.com/sports/football/roster/nik-bonitto/14003 Oklahoma Sooners bio]
{{Broncos2022DraftPicks}}
{{Denver Broncos roster navbox}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Bonitto, Nik Jr.}}
Category:21st-century African-American sportsmen
Category:21st-century American sportsmen
Category:Players of American football from Fort Lauderdale, Florida
Category:St. Thomas Aquinas High School (Florida) alumni
Category:American football linebackers
Category:Oklahoma Sooners football players
Category:Denver Broncos players
Category:American sportspeople of Cuban descent
Category:American sportspeople of Jamaican descent
Category:American sportspeople of Haitian descent
Category:Under Armour All-American football players
Category:Hispanic and Latino American players of American football
Category:American Conference Pro Bowl players
Category:American people of Cuban descent