Can Walter Nolen Be the Next Aaron Donald? | Steelers Draft Profile
INDIANAPOLIS and MOBILE, Ala. — When it comes to the draft scoring process one thing that teams like the Pittsburgh Steelers are always looking for is confidence. No one wants a player that doesn’t believe in himself. But there’s a fine line between confident and cocky. Ole Miss defensive tackle Walter Nolen has mastered the art of straddling that line.
NFL Draft prospects are asked over and over again throughout the process to compare their game to a current NFL player. Most either decline or use a bit of humility in picking out certain traits they think they share, or will say a player they’re trying to pattern their game after without making a direct comparison. Not Nolen. Asked by The Draft Network in January to self-scout his game, the Memphis native didn’t hold back:
“I’m the next Aaron Donald, man,” Nolen said.
If you want to aim high for a player comp, it doesn’t get any higher than Donald, the most dominant NFL defensive tackle of the last two decades.
“I feel like I can do it all,” Nolen said. “Aaron Donald did it all at the highest level. I’m a younger, upcoming version of Aaron Donald. I just can’t wait to show everybody that when I get this opportunity I’m being blessed with.”
I asked Nolen about his own comparison at the Senior Bowl.
“I really be trying to pattern my game off Aaron Donald,” he said. “That’s my favorite player to ever put on a pair of cleats. Really just him. For me, I would say yeah. I don’t know if anyone else sees that.”
Apparently, Donald sees at least a little bit of it. He sent Nolen a message during the NFL Combine, through NFL media.
“I heard you say you’re the next Aaron Donald, man,” Donald said. “Keep doing your thing, man. Hopefully, you have a long career and a better career than what I had. I’ll be looking out for you, I’ll be watching for you.”
Nolen is significantly taller than Donald — 6-foot- 3 3/4 compared to Donald’s 6-foot 3/4. He’s also about 10 pounds heavier. As far as his impact on the field, he’s yet to reach Donald-level production as a pass rusher, recording 11.5 sacks over his three-year collegiate career. Donald had 11 in a season twice at Pitt.
As a run stuffer, Nolen might actually be underselling his abilities. The stalwart three-technique was probably the best interior run stopper in college football last season.
The Steelers just watched their defense melt under the onslaught of rushing attacks from the Philadelphia Eagles and Baltimore Ravens down the stretch run of the 2024 season. With Cam Heyward nearing the end of the run, the team needs someone that can play with him now and replace him in the future, and Nolen certainly has the run-stopping ability to execute the first half of that equation right away.
If he can show growth in pass rushing, he could be the Steelers eventual replacement for their longtime defensive captain — and look out if he’s right about being the next Aaron Donald.
WALTER NOLEN SCOUTING REPORT
Penetrating three-technique with a tantalizing blend of burst, lateral agility and grown man strength at 21-years old. Nolen’s athleticism permits him to make frequent plays away from his gap assignment and has the raw power to detonate guards backwards into the backfield. His hands are constantly active, yet lack refinement given his size but the upside is truly tremendous with he himself being the only one standing in the way of that high ceiling. — Derrick Bell
WALTER NOLEN COLLEGE STATS
| Year – Tear | GP | Tkl | TFL | Sack | PD | FF | FR |
| 2024 – Ole Miss | 10 | 48 | 14 | 6.5 | 0 | 0 | 2 |
| 2023 – Texas A&M | 12 | 37 | 9 | 4.0 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| 2022 – Texas A&M | 13 | 29 | 3 | 1.0 | 3 | 1 | 1 |
TALE OF THE TAPE
Tested at Ole Miss pro day: 4.76 shuttle, 27 reps
Measured at the NFL Combine: 6-foot-3/4, 296 pounds, 32 1/2-inch arms, 78 5/8-inch wingspan, 9 1/2-inch hands
Measured at the Senior Bowl: 6-foot-3 1/4, 293 pounds, 33-inch arms, 79 1/2-inch wingspan, 9 1/4-inch hands
Listed by Ole Miss: 6-foot-3, 305 pounds
RAS: Did not quality
WHERE WILL WALTER NOLEN BE DRAFTED?
Walter Nolen saw his stock peak during the 2025 NFL Combine, topping out at No. 18 overall on the NFL Mock Draft Database consensus big board before falling all the way back down to No. 30 overall.
Teams may have been turned off by the way Nolen handled his pre-draft process. After working had all week at the Senior Bowl, he chose not to participate at the 2025 NFL Combine, and did only the bench press and shuttle run at the Ole Miss pro day. The Steelers had reportedly been set to send their top brass to Oxford, Miss, but instead, with Nolen not working out, assistant general manager Andy Weidl headed up the contingent.
FILM ROOM
ODDS AND ENDS
Nolen attended three different high schools: Olive Branch (Miss.) as a freshman and sophomore, St. Benedict at Aurburndale in Memphis as a junior and Powell (Tenn.) as a senior. He also was briefly enrolled at IMG Academy in Bradenton, Fla. … Nolen will be the fourth NFL player from Powell, joining the father-son duo of Daryl and Lee Smith, and John Bruhin. Former Ohio State head coach John Cooper is also a Powell alum. … The Steelers have multiple Memphis connections, including offensive coordinator Arthur Smith, Calvin Austin III, cornerback Brandin Echols (Southaven, Miss.) and Memphis alumnus Kenneth Gainwell.