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Aggies Land in Top-3 For Nation's Top DT Walter Nolen

The Aggies have managed to break into the top-3 finalist for one of the nation's best recruits

Matt Galatzan

Aggies Land in Top-3 For Nation's Top DT Walter Nolen
Aggies Land in Top-3 For Nation's Top DT Walter Nolen /

The Texas A&M Aggies have been arguably the hottest team in the country on the recruiting trail over the summer, landing a handful of elite prospects from both the 2022 and the 2023 classes since June.

On Tuesday night, that momentum took yet another step forward, with the Aggies coming from behind to land amongst the top-3 finalists for Sports Illustrated's No. 1 interior defensive line recruit, and No. 2 overall player, Powell (Tenn.) defensive tackle, Walter Nolen.

Nolen, who visited College Station at the end of July alongside other elite uncommitted prospects such as Harold Perkins and Omari Abor, among others, had originally revealed his top-5 to be Alabama, Georgia, Florida, Tennessee, and Michigan.

However, after that visit, things changed for A&M, with the Aggies shooting up Nolen's list and usurping the likes of Alabama, Michigan and Florida. 

On Georgia: “Georgia is just a place I can see myself growing as a player on the field.”

On Tennessee: “Tennessee is home and ain't nothing going to change that.”

On Texas A&M: “A&M is just a place I can see myself dominating on the best defense in the conference and I got major respect to their coaching staff."

Nolen is unsure of when a decision will come, but like this unexpected list cut, it could come at any time.

"It probably won't be August, but whenever it comes, it comes," Nolen said of a possible decision.

At 6-foot-4, and weighing 305 pounds, Nolen has the strength, athleticism and versatility to play multiple positions along the defensive front. He is disruptive and violent with his hands and has great quickness getting off the ball, as both a pass rusher and in run defense.

Should Nolen reach the ceiling that he is projected to have, he should be in line as a contender to be a first-round NFL pick at the end of his college career. 

You can view SI All-American's full scouting report of Nolen below:

Nolen has fantastic lateral movement and exceptional balance. One of the strongest lineman in the country, in and out of the weight room. We haven’t noticed an ounce of stiffness (common in taller defensive lineman), and he’s a missile out of his stance. He doesn’t get washed, he doesn’t over pursue. Nolen maximizes his talents within his team’s system, yet he remains the star of the show whenever he steps on the field m -- in any setting. His motor combined with his size/speed is enough for any college coach to drool over. Will make any college defensive line unit deeper the second he steps onto campus.

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Published
Matt Galatzan
MATT GALATZAN

Matt Galatzan is the Managing Editor and Publisher of Texas Longhorns On SI and Texas A&M Aggies On SI and a long-time member of the Football Writer’s Association of America. He graduated from the University of Mississippi, where he studied integrated marketing communications, with minors in journalism and business administration. Galatzan started in the sports journalism industry in 2014 covering the Dallas Mavericks and SMU Mustangs with 247Sports. He then moved to Sports Illustrated's Fan Nation network in 2020, eventually being taking over as the Managing Editor and Publisher of the Longhorns and Aggies sites a year later. You can find Galatzan on all major social media channels, including Twitter on @MattGalatzan.

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