Walter Nolen NFL Draft 2025: Scouting Report for Ole Miss DL

HEIGHT: 6'3"

WEIGHT: 293

HAND: 9¼"

ARM: 33"

WINGSPAN: 79½"

POSITIVES

— Solid size and impressive strength with decent athleticism for a defensive tackle.

— Strong and physical at the point of attack to help gain a leverage advantage against offensive linemen.

— Takes on blocks with a wide and sturdy base to help hold his ground against combo blocks and avoid getting washed inside as a run defender.

— When slanting, he has decent quickness, agility and change of direction to throw off offensive linemen's angles and get penetration.

— Agility and lateral movement skills also help him stay in his gap against reach blocks/outside zone runs.

— When he keeps his pads down, he's an effective bull rusher who can collapse the pocket against interior offensive linemen.

— Sets up his pass rush move well by selling the outside during the stem phase of the rush and using his quickness and change of direction to turn speed to power or test linemen's ability to redirect.

— Effective on line games as both the looper and penetrator.

NEGATIVES

— Has a habit of standing up out of his stance, occasionally hurting his pad level/leverage.

— As a pass-rusher and run defender, his hands can be a little late and wide, allowing offensive linemen to get to his chest.

— Needs to develop and use a counter move more often when his initial move doesn't work as a pass-rusher.

— Appears to have shorter arms, limiting his extension and making it harder to shed blocks.

NOTES

— Born Oct. 14, 2003

— 5-star recruit in the 2022 class, per 247Sports

— Transferred from Texas A&M ahead of the 2024 season

— No major injuries

OVERALL

There's a lot to like about Walter Nolen's game. He's big, physical and strong with impressive movement skills that should translate well to the NFL.

Against the run, Nolen has pop in his hands to stun offensive linemen at the point of attack and help gain a leverage advantage. He has a good base when taking on blocks, which makes it hard to move even with combo blocks or double teams.

Nolen's biggest flaw as a run defender is that he struggles to get off blocks, but he has shown a decent hump move to catch offensive linemen leaning and escape. He's just not great at shedding and appears to have shorter arms.

The Ole Miss product can be a very effective bull rusher who collapses the pocket when rushing the passer. He needs to keep his pads down more consistently, but when he does, interior offensive linemen have a hard time anchoring against him.

While Nolen has flashed a solid swim move, the second-best way he's able to put pressure on the quarterback is through line games and stunts. He's quick and aggressive as the penetrator, catching offensive linemen off guard and knocking them off balance, and his lateral movement skills allow him to be an effective looper.

Overall, Nolen has all the tools to be a starter within his first two years in the NFL and has Pro Bowl/All-Pro potential down the line. Schematically, he's fairly versatile as someone who could line up as a 3-technique in even fronts or play as a 4i-technique in odd fronts.

GRADE: 8.1 (Year 1 Starter — Late 1st - Early 2nd)

OVERALL RANK: 18

POSITION RANK: DL2

PRO COMPARISON: Ed Oliver

Written by B/R NFL Scout Matt Holder

Prospect workout numbers, measurables (40-yard dash, hand size, etc.) and 2024 statistics will be added at a later date.