2025 NFL Draft Scouting Report: Ole Miss DT Walter Nolen

All my scouting notes on the strengths, concerns, usage/role, skill set summary, NFL comparison and grade/projection for Ole Miss DT Walter Nolen

Ole Miss DT Walter Nolen

Height: 6-3
Weight: 293
Birthdate: 10/14/03 (21 year-old rookie)
Production: 35 games (transferred from Texas A&M after 2 seasons), 11.5 sacks, 26 TFL, 1 FF
Injuries: None
Games Watched: LSU, Mississippi State, Georgia, South Carolina, Duke (run defense)

Strengths

• Power and quickness combination is outstanding
• Physical tools might not be elite, but are rarely an issue on tape. Doesn’t play like a small defensive tackle
• Amazing ability to burst off the ball and burst side-to-side to cross face on blockers
• Strong pass rush plan and can win with quickness and power when his pads and hands are right
• Flashes of hand usage that show full potential, can chuck blockers aside or power through punches
• Double hand swipe, rips, cross chops, swims are all over his tape
• Great job of IDing blocks and getting into his gap quickly
• Can do the tough work of exchanging gaps at the snap, allowing defensive front to be more unpredictable
• Fires off the ball low, needs to maintain pad level better, but not easy to drive off the ball. Excellent balance and flexibility to work through contact
• Rarely missed tackles, good form
• Plays hard and will chase the ball down