Mobile, Ala - For those who know me and have followed my work from last year's Senior Bowl, you'll know that I have an affinity for wide receivers and corners (see my first two Senior Bowl profiles on the site). However, there is enough room in my heart to talk about the big boys up front on the defensive line, like Ole Miss' Walter Nolen. Watching the film and him in person this week has me excited about his potential at the next level, as a dominant three-technique on the inside.
Walter Nolen
Position: Defensive Tackle
School: Ole Miss
Year: Junior
Height: 6'3"
Weight: 290 lbs
40 Yard Dash Time: 4.96 (via NFL Draft Buzz)
2024 Season Stats: 48 tackles, 6.5 sacks, 14 tackles for loss, three PBU's
Current Draft Projection: First-Round Pick (via The Draft Network)
Career Overview
Nolen began his college career as an Aggie with Texas A&M, coming in with fellow Senior Bowl invitee Shemar Stewart back in 2022. After showing some flashes during his freshman season, things picked up during his sophomore campaign where he racked up four sacks, nine tackles for loss, and even deflected a pass during the Aggies' run to the Texas Bowl, where they would lose to rival Oklahoma State. After those two seasons, Nolen traded in his red and white uniform for a baby blue one, transferring to Ole Miss heading into the 2024 season. During an interview with our own Connor Davis, he told us why he decided to move on from the Aggies.
"When I hit the portal, I was on a mission to grow more as a person and a player," Nolen said. "Ole Miss they helped me every way they could and I feel like I made a big improvement."
That self-assessment was spot-on, as Nolen broke out his junior season with the Rebels. He bumped his numbers up to 6.5 sacks, 14 tackles for loss, and even broke up three passes on the line. Those numbers earned him a spot on the All-American team with four other defensive linemen (two of them Senior Bowl invitees: Kyle Kinnard of South Carolina and Donovan Ezeiruaku of Boston College).
Player Comparison: Ed Oliver
While the more productive player between the two during their college days, Oliver and Nolen fit the mold of a stud interior pass rusher, who can play the run as well. In today's NFL, you need to find more ways to generate pressure without blitzing, so finding ways to generate pressure from the middle is vital. Oliver, while inconsistent at times, is still one of the best run-and-pass defenders on the interior in the league. With his mix of speed, and quick and violent hands, Nolen could join that company very quickly.
The Fit
There just so happen to be two NFC teams right next to each other in the draft that would be a perfect fit for Nolen: the Arizona Cardinals (pick 16) and the Atlanta Falcons (pick 15). Both teams struggled to get to the quarterback, with the Falcons finishing second to last in sacks with 31 and the Cardinals being in the middle of the pack at 15th in the league with 41. Both teams could desperately use a new man in the middle, with David Onyemata of the Falcons becoming a free agent after the 2025 season, and the Cardinals duo of Roy Lopez and Naquan Hones finishing with four sacks combined.
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