Cardinals add to their defense, select Mississippi's Walter Nolen with No. 16 pick in NFL draft

TEMPE, Ariz. (AP) — Walter Nolen was a blue-chip prospect who spent two slightly disappointing seasons at Texas A&M before transferring to Mississippi, where he blossomed into one of the best defensive tackles in the country in 2024.

He's ready to continue his upward trajectory with the Arizona Cardinals.

The Cardinals took the 6-foot-4, 296-pound Nolen with the No. 16 pick in the NFL draft on Thursday night, continuing their overhaul of a defensive front that was inconsistent last season. The 21-year-old doesn't lack confidence, comparing his game to that of eight-time All-Pro Aaron Donald, who retired last year after terrorizing offenses for 10 seasons with the Los Angeles Rams.

“By the time I take my cleats off, I want to be one of the best,” Nolen said.

Nolen had 14 1/2 tackles for loss and 6 1/2 sacks last season while anchoring the Rebels' defensive line. He was a former five-star high school recruit who signed with the Aggies before transferring to Ole Miss, where he was a first-team AP All-America selection last season.

Even so, Nolen knew there were questions about his maturity and motor on the field. He said he appreciated that the Cardinals seemed genuinely interested in hearing his side of the story.

“The Cardinals took a chance on me and I'm blessed for that,” Nolen said. “Can't wait to get there.”

Third-year Cardinals coach Jonathan Gannon and general manager Monti Ossenfort said they didn't have any character concerns about Nolen. Some of Arizona's coaches have worked with the Ole Miss staff in the past, and Gannon said they got positive reports from those connections.

“The tape spoke for itself,” Ossenfort said. “Violent, disruptive, high motor, tenacious, three-down player. Hard to find those guys that can affect the pocket from the interior of the formation."

Said Gannon: “This guy's a Cardinal, 1,000 percent.”

Arizona is trying to put the finishing touches on a multi-year rebuild, improving to 8-9 last season after finishing with a 4-13 record in both 2022 and 2023. Gannon and Ossenfort are under pressure to make the playoffs for the first time since 2021.

The Cardinals spent much of their offseason improving their defensive front, adding Josh Sweat, Dalvin Tomlinson and Calais Campbell in free agency. Now they've grabbed Nolen, who showed plenty of potential during his breakout season with the Rebels.

“I know the competition level in the room is going to be great," Nolen said. "I know I've got some good vets in front of me so I can't wait to compete.”

Arizona has five more picks in the draft, including two on Friday at No. 47 and No. 78.

The Cardinals had two first-round picks last year, selecting receiver Marvin Harrison Jr. at No. 4 and defensive lineman Darius Robinson at No. 27. Harrison had a solid rookie season with 62 catches for 885 yards and eight touchdowns, while Robinson missed much of his first season with a calf injury.

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