Roundup: Experts Grade Cardinals First-Round Pick

The Arizona Cardinals finished the first round of the 2025 NFL Draft with Ole Miss DL Walter Nolen, who was taken with the 16th overall pick.

Nolen, despite character concerns, projects as a versatile and violent piece to Arizona's front seven in the future.

The Cardinals could have gone a number of different directions in the draft, though Nolen was ultimately the pick, and the national media had mostly strong opinions his selection:

NFL.com: A

Chad Reuter: "The Cardinals continue to rebuild their defensive line, taking Nolen after signing Calais Campbell and Dalvin Tomlinson in free agency. Campbell is 38 years old, though, so pairing Nolen with last year's first-round pick, Darius Robinson , portends a strong future up front. Nolen, who can play as a 1-, 3- or 5-technique, has the get-off, powerful hands and quickness to become a star."

CBS Sports: B

Pete Prisco: "He is a good inside player who will team with Calais Campbell and Dalvin Tomlinson to give them upgrades inside on a line that needed it. Nolen has big-time ability, but he needs to be more consistent and dedicated to the craft."

FOX Sports: C+

Rob Rang: "The most disruptive interior defensive lineman of the class, Nolen is an intriguing fit for the Cardinals, especially given the addition of edge rusher Josh Sweat in free agency. Nolen was terrific at Ole Miss in 2024, but wasn't as impressive as expected at the Senior Bowl. As such, there is some undeniable boom-or-bust factor with Nolen."

The Ringer: C

Danny Kelly: "The Cardinals keep building in the trenches, grabbing a twitchy gap-shooting lineman in Nolen. The former Ole Miss star has excellent traits and brings plenty of upside, but he plays like a bull in a china shop a little too often. He’s not consistent in his pass-rush plan, too frequently popping up off the snap and getting washed out of the play. This is a bit of a reach by my board, but if the Cardinals can develop him and get him to play with more discipline, they could have a very productive interior rusher on their hands."

Sports Illustrated: B

Gilberto Manzano: "Nolen showed flashes of being a game-wrecker in his lone season at Ole Miss. He’ll now join a revamped defensive line in Arizona that just added edge rusher Josh Sweat and defensive tackle Dalvin Tomlinson. After two sluggish years at Texas A&M, it clicked for Nolen with his new team, becoming a consensus All-American and first-team All-SEC. Nolen had a team-high 14 tackles for loss and added 6.5 sacks. Developing consistency is key for Nolen, but there’s no denying his high upside after what he flashed at Ole Miss."

Bleacher Report: A

Brent Sobleski: "Few prospects in this year's class have as much natural upside and game-changing ability as Nolen, who has similar qualities to former Eagle defensive tackle Milton Williams. He should fit right in along the Cardinals' defensive line."

Yahoo!: B+

Charles McDonald: "The Cardinals got a lot more disruptive with this pick. Walter Nolen has all the upside in the world to be an impact 3-technique at the next level and has a higher floor than Robert Nkemdiche, the last Ole Miss defensive tackle they selected in the first round. Nolen’s play is a bit streaky, but the big-play potential with Nolen is here in droves."

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