Ole Miss Football DT Walter Nolen Taken in First Round of Latest NFL Mock Draft

Ole Miss Rebels defensive tackle Walter Nolen is a first round pick, in the eyes of a new mock draft.

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

The Ole Miss Rebels are off this week after a sputtering start to SEC play, but that doesn't mean the news around the team is silent.

Earlier this week, ESPN released an updated 2025 NFL Mock Draft, and Ole Miss had a player taken in the first round in the form of defensive tackle Walter Nolen. Nolen was projected to go 30th overall to the Houston Texans, marking the fourth defensive tackle taken in the draft.

You can view an excerpt from the piece below.

"A true wrecking ball up the middle is one of the few missing ingredients for an elite football team in Houston. After two underwhelming seasons at Texas A&M, Nolen is having a breakout year in his first season at Ole Miss. He already has 2.5 sacks, 5 tackles for loss and 8 run stops. With aggressive hands and a sudden first step, he's consistently able to defeat single blocks at the first level."

Nolen has also garnered plenty of hype on the collegiate front near the halfway point of the season. He has been named a Midseason All-American by two publications, and he was also named to the Bednarik Award midseason watch list earlier this week.

The transfer tackle from Texas A&M was a crown jewel of the Rebels' portal class this offseason, joining a flurry of new faces for defensive coordinator Pete Golding. Up front, Golding added names like Nolen and edge rusher Princely Umanmielen, and he also gained transfers from other impactful pieces like linebacker Chris "Pooh" Paul Jr. and Trey Amos.

Nolen's addition has helped the Ole Miss defense allow just 66.6 yards per game on the ground and a miniscule 2.0 yards per carry. That unit has also racked up 24 sacks for a total of 165 yards.

The Rebels are resting during this week's open date, but they will return to action next Saturday at home against the Oklahoma Sooners. Kickoff is scheduled for 11 a.m. CT on ABC or ESPN.

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