Ole Miss DT Walter Nolen just misses out on being named among Top 10 returning interior linemen
When Lane Kiffin and Pete Golding landed Walter Nolen on Christmas Eve from the transfer portal it was the shot in the arm Ole Miss needed on the recruiting front.
The crown jewel of the 2024 transfer class was secured and jump started the hype machine for the Rebels as it pertains to their College Football Playoff chances and an immediate national title contender.
Still, plenty needs to happen — including another successful 12-game regular season campaign — for December to matter but Nolen is going to be a key piece.
Despite the internal excitement and buzz from the Ole Miss fan base there is a national perception that Nolen still needs to hit his full potential, but Oxford is the perfect place for him to do it.
Over the last month Pro Football Focus has been listing the top 10 returners for each position and this week was interior defensive linemen.
The PFF list had Nolen just on the outside looking in, listing him as an honorable mention.
In his sophomore season at Texas A&M, Nolen recorded seven sacks to tie him for third among Southeastern Conference interior linemen in 2023. Same for his eight tackles for loss/no gain.
Nolen’s 9.9 percent pass rush/win rate was fourth among SEC defensive tackles.
“Nolen stays within the conference and will play for Ole Miss in 2024, where he’ll look to fully reach his high ceiling,” PFF noted.
Nolen is just one part of a re-vamped Ole Miss defensive line that was boosted by the portal.
Kiffin also brought in Florida transfer Princely Umanmielen to help shore up the EDGE position. That duo along with returns J.J. Pegues and Jared Ivey help make a starting front four Golding should see positive results and immediate impact in disrupting SEC offenses.
The numbers do not jump off the page when it comes to Nolen but the former No. 1 prospect in the 2022 recruiting class has the opportunity to thrive in Oxford in a season where Ole Miss is putting all the chips in the middle of the table.
The complete PFF Top 10 list of returning interior linemen:
- Mason Graham – Michigan
- Deone Walker – Kentucky
- Howard Cross III – Notre Dame
- Peter Woods – Clemson
- Tyleik Williams – Ohio State
- Kenneth Grant – Michigan
- Dontay Corleone – Cincinnati
- Tonka Hemingway – South Carolina
- Aeneas Peebles – Virginia
- Rylie Mills – Notre Dame
