Finding Broncos: Scouting Ole Miss DL Walter Nolen

In case you missed it, the Denver Broncos are in the defensive line market with the NFL draft rapidly approaching. With possible veteran departures to preempt, the Broncos could use their first-round pick on a D-lineman, especially with how deep this running back class is.

One of the defensive line prospects commonly mocked to the Broncos is Ole Miss' Walter Nolen. Let's dive into his scouting report.

Biography

Nolen turns 22 on October 14. He initially committed to Texas A&M and was ranked as the top prospect of the 2022 recruiting class by ESPN, while he was second to Travis Hunter by Rivals.

After spending 2022 and 2023 at Texas A&M as part of a talented defensive front, Nolen transferred to Ole Miss, leading to more playing time and the best season of his collegiate career. 

Size & Athleticism

Nolen has the size and athleticism to be an excellent pass rusher on the defensive line. His twitched-up movements as an athlete make him so dangerous. 

Key Statistic

Nolen was tied for the eighth-most pressures last season with interior defensive linemen with 35 pressures. His 19.5 win percentage was 20th among draft-eligible interior defensive linemen, 11.6% behind the leader. 

Pros

Nolen is a playmaker on the defensive line because he can make plays or cause disruptions quickly behind the line of scrimmage. He is such a twitched-up athlete, so working as a gap shooter puts him in the best position to succeed.

Nolen can challenge blockers around the edge before fully getting into their blocking set. This is also where he will do the most damage as a run defender early in his career. 

The power to Nolen's game can see him drive through blockers or handle double teams, but it isn’t seen consistently. It's there, but NFL coaching will need to find a way to tap into it on a more regular basis. There's no doubt he loves football, and when he isn’t taking a play off, he is relentless in pursuit. 

Nolen's agility and bend help him work through gaps, which is why a single-gap front is his best system for success in the NFL. He also has exceptional body control to maintain balance through whatever he throws at blockers.

Nolen's potential as a pass rusher is among the best of this defensive line class, and he can be a threat from a 3-technique in a traditional even front or 4i-technique in a traditional odd-man front. 

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Cons

There are a lot of plays on tape where Nolen is taking the snap off. Teams will need to get to the bottom of that and his lack of production, despite being one of the top high school recruits. When you don't see the growth and development of such a highly rated prospect, teams will ask questions about why it is, and the answers seem to center around Nolen’s attitude. 

Nolen has many consistency issues with his play. He can do the right thing perfectly one play and then completely whiff the next. He also has to improve his timing, both in his usage of pass rush moves and in disengaging from blocks. 

Nolen lacks technical discipline, which can cause many consistency issues. He also has a bad habit of forcing himself to work through blockers when his skill set is best utilized attacking the edges of blockers. His play strength and base raise many concerns about his ability to hold up as a run defender, especially at the point of attack. 

Fit with Broncos

As the Broncos confront the fact that only one of their 3-4 defensive ends is under contract for 2026, they'll consider adding to the room. Nolen would be a great fit, as he can upgrade Denver's depth this year while giving them a piece to develop into a starter for 2026 and beyond.

Nolen shares many similarities with John Franklin-Myers — his play, strengths, and weaknesses. Putting Nolen behind Franklin-Myers could help with his development. 

Draft Grade: Round 1