'Next Aaron Donald': Ole Miss DL Walter Nolen Has Big Expectations for NFL Career

Ole Miss Rebels defensive lineman Aaron Donald is expecting big things from himself in the National Football League.
Sep 28, 2024; Oxford, Mississippi, USA; Mississippi Rebels defensive linemen Walter Nolen (2) waits for the snap during the second half against the Kentucky Wildcats at Vaught-Hemingway Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Petre Thomas-Imagn Images
Sep 28, 2024; Oxford, Mississippi, USA; Mississippi Rebels defensive linemen Walter Nolen (2) waits for the snap during the second half against the Kentucky Wildcats at Vaught-Hemingway Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Petre Thomas-Imagn Images / Petre Thomas-Imagn Images
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The Ole Miss Rebels are expected to have multiple players selected in the 2025 NFL Draft, and one of the headlining attractions is defensive tackle Walter Nolen.

Nolen has been projected as a first round pick in the upcoming draft, and he is set to participate in the Reese's Senior Bowl on Feb. 1 in an opportunity to showcase his skills in front of NFL scouts. Nolen recently sat down with the Senior Bowl and Draft Network and discussed how he views his skill set ahead of draft day and how he reflects on his time at Ole Miss.

"I’m the next Aaron Donald, man," Nolen said in the interview.

"I feel like I can do it all. Aaron Donald did it all at the highest level. I’m a younger, upcoming version of Aaron Donald. I just can’t wait to show everybody that when I get this opportunity I’m being blessed with."

Aaron Donald has obviously put together a fruitful career in the NFL, so Nolen comparing himself to the star shows just how highly he thinks he can perform once he is chosen by a franchise this spring. Donald finished his NFL career in 2023 after winning Defensive Player of the Year three times, earning eight First Team All-Pro nods and being named to 10 Pro Bowls.

Nolen finished the 2024 regular season with 48 tackles, 14 tackles for loss and 6.5 sacks while also batting down three passes and recovering two fumbles, and while that's not quite at Donald's level just yet, it shows that he can succeed against stiff competition in the SEC.

This comes after he elected to transfer to Ole Miss from the Texas A&M Aggies last offseason, a move that paid off both for him as a player and his new team. The Rebels used their revamped defense to claim another 10-win season, and even though they fell short of the College Football Playoff, that's an impressive achievement in itself.

"I don’t have any regrets," Nolen said of his decision to transfer to Ole Miss. "I feel like it was a great move for me in all aspects. I know sometimes the portal has a bad reputation, but in my situation, I feel like it was a good opportunity for me to take another step forward."

Nolen finishes the year as a Consensus All-American and will look to ride that momentum into his Senior Bowl appearance and the NFL Draft in April.

READ MORE Ole Miss Rebels News:

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The Pete Golding Effect: How Ole Miss Football Will Reload Defensively in 2025

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NFL Scout: Ole Miss QB Jaxson Dart Will Be 'Major Steal' in 2025 NFL Draft


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John Macon Gillespie
JOHN MACON GILLESPIE

John Macon Gillespie is the publisher of The Grove Report and has experience on the Ole Miss beat spanning five years.