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LOOK: Tennessee fans make their pitch to 5-star Walter Nolen

Wg0vf-nP_400x400by:Keegan Pope•10/15/21•

bykeeganpope

Walter Nolen 2 copy 1
Walter Nolen will visit Tennesseee this weekend. (Chad Simmons/On3)

Powell (Tenn.) High defensive lineman Walter Nolen is one of the top uncommitted players in the country and one of the most dominant recruits in Tennessee high school football in recent memory. Programs from across the country have made their pitch to him, but this weekend he’ll be on campus in Knoxville when Tennessee hosts No. 13 Ole Miss.

Vols fans are making their pitch, painting “the Rock,” a 97.5-ton hunk of Knox dolomite stone. The message reads: “WELCOME HOME WALTER NOLEN” with the Tennessee logo replacing the “T.”

Nolen, the No. 6 overall player in the 2022 On300 rankings, narrowed his list to three top schools in August: Tennessee, Texas A&M, and Georgia. However, he took visits to both Florida and Michigan in September.

Tennessee is a major threat for Walter Nolen

This summer, On3 Director of Recruiting Chad Simmons said that Tennessee was the top school on Nolen’s list. And the in-state Volunteers remain a major contender for his eventual commitment. His high school is just 15 minutes outside Knoxville, and Nolen visited Tennessee a couple of times this summer. According to Simmons, new defensive line coach Rodney Garner has really connected with Nolen. Defensive coordinator Tim Banks has gotten highly involved with his recruitment also.

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But of late, Texas A&M has been considered the team to beat. Simmons said last week that the Aggies are the team “everyone else is chasing.” He visited College Station last weekend, and his father said the younger Nolen came away very impressed. He was joined by a laundry list of four- and five-star targets both in the 2022 and 2023 classes.

Tennessee will have two chances to make a final impression, though. This weekend’s visit is an unofficial, and he’s expected back in November for an official visit as well. A trip to Alabama is still on the docket as well.