OXFORD — An anchor of Ole Miss football's defensive line is headed to the NFL.

The Arizona Cardinals selected Walter Nolen with the No. 16 pick in the first round of the 2025 NFL draft April 24. He was the first Ole Miss player picked.

Nolen is a 6-foot-4, 296-pound interior defensive lineman who played in college for three seasons. Nolen was a five-star recruit who played two seasons at Texas A&M before transferring to Ole Miss . He was a consensus All-American, and the 14th player in Ole Miss history to earn that honor.

What Walter Nolen brings to Arizona Cardinals in 2025 NFL Draft

Even among a stacked Ole Miss defensive line, Nolen stood out as an elite run-stopper who can blow up any offensive scheme.

Pro Football Focus rated Nolen as the No. 6 defensive lineman in the nation and the best in the SEC. Nolen routinely took on double teams in the interior and often won the rep in those situations. Even when he was quiet statistically, the attention he drew from the offense helped free up other linemen.

Walter Nolen highlights, strengths, weaknesses at Ole Miss

Concerns are hard to find in Nolen's game. Ole Miss coach Lane Kiffin seemed disgruntled with Nolen after a 2024 game against Oklahoma. Nolen exited the game with an injury late in the first half with a visible limp. He did not return, which Kiffin addressed postgame.

"He wasn't able to go back in," Kiffin said, "I actually thought he was going to go back in and he decided that he couldn't go back in."

Nolen played 36 snaps in Ole Miss' bowl game blowout against Duke, which should help allay any commitment concerns.

There is a lot to like about Nolen. He has an NFL-ready body and has delivered on his five-star billing at the highest level of college football. Nolen has a high ceiling and looks primed to be an immediate contributor in the NFL.

Walter Nolen stats with Ole Miss