The 2025 NFL Draft is loaded with good prospects on the defensive line and one of the most intriguing players in that group is Ole Miss defensive tackle Walter Nolen. Nolen was a star recruit out of high school who played at Texas A&M for two seasons before transferring to Ole Miss. In speaking with sources at five teams, the opinions were very split on Nolen. A couple felt that Nolen’s excellent physical talent and improved play at Ole Miss could lead to him being a first-round pick. Sources at three teams said character concerns and bad tape had them projecting Nolen to day two. One playoff team said they had Nolen as a mid-rounder. Hence, Nolen has emerged as a real love/hate prospect.
The 6-foot-3, 305-pound Nolen is fast, athletic, and has quality size for an interior disruptor. In 2024, he had 48 tackles with 6.5 sacks for the Rebels. The previous season he had 37 tackles and four sacks with Texas A&M. Even the scouts that like Nolen acknowledge that he had ugly moments on his tape with the Aggies, but they felt he showed significant improvement at Ole Miss.
“He got better at Ole Miss,” texted an NFC National Scout. “I think he could go in the first.”
“He got his ass destroyed some,” texted an AFC Director of Player Personnel. “With the character, we have him 2nd or 3rd.”
Thus, Nolen is a hard player to project in the 2025 NFL Draft. Sources believe that Nolen will work out well and impress in the pre-draft workouts. However, doing well in the interview room could be more important for Nolen than the field work. In my latest 2025 NFL Mock Draft, I have Nolen cracking the top 50, but his stock is very fluid entering the NFL Scouting Combine.
