The first Ole Miss player came off the board in the first round, and as expected, it was defensive tackle Walter Nolen. However, with most mock drafts having him going to the San Francisco 49ers or the New York Jets, he looked like he may fall down the draft. Instead, he went to the Arizona Cardinals with the 16th pick.
Nolen, who has seen comparisons to Los Angeles Rams great Aaron Donald, follows the retired Super Bowl winner to the NFC West. Only this time, the Rams will have to face a disruptive force.
Walter Nolen YOU are headed to the Valley pic.twitter.com/qkiU2ChRRL
— Arizona Cardinals (@AZCardinals) April 25, 2025
Nolen said, "I’m the next Aaron Donald, man; I’m a younger, upcoming version of Aaron Donald." It resulted in Donald sending a personal message to the Ole Miss standout during the NFL Combine, telling him to put in the work and he will be a star at the next level.
Nolen will come up against a strong division in the NFC, with the Rams, Seattle Seahawks, and San Francisco 49ers. All three teams who love to run the ball, Nolen showed how consistent he is against the run, helping the Rebels to become the number two rushing defense during the 2024 season. The Tennessee native finished the 2024 season with 48 tackles, 6.5 sacks, 14 tackles for loss, and two fumble recoveries.
Nolen was the No. 2 ranked recruit in the 2022 class behind Travis Hunter, who was selected No.2 by the Jacksonville Jaguars. Nolen committed to Texas A&M, where he had two seasons that were below par. He hit the transfer portal after the Sggies struggled in 2023, losing their head coach. The five-star recruit moved to Ole Miss, where his impressive season has helped him become a first-round talent.
The Rebels had a few players who could be drafted in the first round, but Nolen looked to be an odds-on bet to be the first, and he was.