Walter Nolen Compared to This 2023 Pro Bowl Defensive Tackle

First Round Mock NFL Draft Analyst Rajvir Bal is a big fan of the Washington Commanders. As an evaluator, he thinks of one of their defensive linemen when he watches Ole Miss defensive tackle Walter Nolen on game film.

Ole Miss defensive tackle Walter Nolen stood out when I watched the team play this fall.

I mean look at him!

He’s hard to miss!

This Texas A&M transfer was constantly in the backfield, making plays and generating pressure, and in the NFL, pressure on defense is what it’s all about.

Nolen exploded with 25 quarterback hurries in 2024 per Pro Football Focus. Prior, he put up domestic pressure numbers for the Aggies in 2022 (13) and 2023 (8).

He’s been a riser as a result 📈

Over 50% of NFL Draft platforms are currently seeing Nolen as a first-round grade (nflmockdraftdatabase.com)

I can see why.

Background

Nolen was a 5-star prospect both as a college recruit ⎯and as a transfer from Texas A&M (247Sports). Coming out of high school, in that evaluation, Scouting Analyst Gabe Brooks compared him to New York Giants defensive tackle Dexter Lawrence even back then.

Nolen’s Stats

2023:

• 12 games played, 37 tackles (20 solo), 9 tackles for loss, 1 pass defended, and 4 sacks 

2024:

• 13 games played, 48 tackles (25 solo), 14 tackles for loss, 3 passes defended, and 6.5 sacks

#2 Walter Nolen 6-foot-3, 305 pounds 
Rajvir Bal’s 2025 NFL Draft Grade: First-Round (I would select him)
Projected by 52.4% of the NFL Draft Community to be a first-round pick as of February 6, 2025 (nflmockdraftdatabase.com)

2024 game film reviewed: Georgia, Arkansas, LSU, and Kentucky (click to view games watched to form this evaluation)

Violent Hands

This is, without a doubt, Walter Nolen’s best trait:

His hands are like sledgehammers

Nolen “hand-shocks” offensive linemen upon impact. He hits them so hard, that they rarely even have a chance of recovering. It’s not just the strength of his hands though, it’s how active they are. He has an elite pass rush bag of tricks and he’s constantly swinging and maneuvering his arms to prevent offensive linemen from locking on to him. His hands allow him to rip, push, or pull the offensive lineman he is facing in whatever direction he pleases. A lot of college players come into the league lacking technical hand-fighting skills, but this isn’t the case for Nolen.

High Effort Player

Relentless motor

Nolen consistently generates a second push against offensive linemen. He doesn’t stop fighting until the whistle is blown. This is something NFL teams look for. His second efforts often allow him to make plays that may not have been there otherwise.

What are the negatives?

Limited area player

His quick first step helped him to gain an advantage against his opponent, but his pursuit speed outside looked rather mediocre.

High pad level

After engaging, Nolen tended to attack too high of a pad level of offensive linemen. This is a big one. That’s a technique thing because he did show good bend and flexibility around the line of scrimmage. The pad level he plays at is especially concerning. It will cause him to have trouble shedding blocks at the next level.

Questionable playing strength

Nolen has shortcomings in the strength department that showed up on film when he was being double-team blocked. He also anchors himself poorly vs. the run.

Ten Adjectives

Powerful. Relentless. Explosive. Technical. Tenacious. Unyielding. Instinctive. Inconsistent. Agile. Overwhelmed.

NFL Crystal Ball

Houston Texas

Cincinnati Bengals

Minnesota Vikings

Pro Comp: Daron Payne

Payne was selected in the first round of the 2018 NFL Draft by Washington and has since logged over 30 sacks, and he was selected to the 2023 Pro Bowl.

Final Thoughts

Walter Nolen has all the tools and traits to be a long-term high-end starter in the NFL.

Rajvir Bal is a high school student from the Virginia area. He grew up a rabid Washington Redskins fan, attending more than 30 games, and has enjoyed the team’s high points and low points throughout his life. He plays varsity football and basketball. Rajvir has taken an interest in the NFL Draft since middle school when his team picked Montez Sweat and Dwayne Haskins in the first round. His favorite NFL player ever flips between Rob Gronkowski and Brett Favre, and his favorite athlete is LeBron James. He has been writing his own scouting reports since 2020, and is excited for the opportunities FirstRoundMock provides.