The Green Bay Packers are known for making the most of the Senior Bowl. With 18 of their 33 draft selections since 2022 being players who put their skills on display in Mobile, Alabama, it will be no surprise when another Senior Bowl standout is selected by the Pack. One name to keep an eye on in this regard is Ole Miss DT Walter Nolan.
Green Bay Interviewing Top Defensive Line Prospect Walter Nolan
On Tuesday, the Green Bay Packers interviewed Walter Nolan, a standout defensive tackle who spent his college career at Ole Miss. He is considered one of the best defensive linemen in the class and even one of the best defensive players overall.
The Packers, looking to bolster their defensive line, interviewed Mississippi DT Walter Nolen at the Senior Bowl in Mobile, Ala.
The 6-3, 305-pound Nolen is a projected late first-round pick. The Packers have the 23rd overall pick. pic.twitter.com/tMiPUi9Ghd— Gery Woelfel (@GeryWoelfel) January 28, 2025
Nolan is a bit of an unconventional prospect given his size and athleticism. He moves unlike many other defensive tackles and has unique lateral ability, making him a deadly pass rusher and a constant threat to win blocks quickly. While he still has room to grow in several areas, Nolan is still one of the most exciting defensive line prospects.
Many feel that Nolan will not have to wait long to hear his name called on draft night. Prevailing opinions have Nolan being selected somewhere in the 15-25 range, with some feeling he could be a borderline top-10 selection. The Packers hold the 23rd overall pick in the draft.
The Green Bay Packers Have Some Interesting Decisions at D-Line
Green Bay does not lack talent on their defensive interior, but that does not mean it is not a position of need. Devonte Wyatt has been a decent player since he was drafted in 2022. Long-time Packer Kenny Clark has been a leader on the Packers defense for years. Although he recently signed a 3-year extension, Clark is still almost 30 years old. Lastly, fellow 2022 draft pick TJ Slaton is entering unrestricted free agency. Slaton has really come along in the last two years and could cost a good chunk of change to re-sign.
Thus, it makes sense that the Packers are entertaining the idea of spending significant draft capital on an interior defensive linemen. Nolan has the skills to line up in a few interior positions, which would likely be appealing for defensive coordinator Jeff Hafley.
#2 A-Gap Walter Nolan is simply a pass pro nightmare for OL. There’s nothing orthodox about the way he rushes or the way he moves. This rep is the perfect example, because I just don’t know what this is, but it works.#NFL #NFLDraft2025 #CFB #OleMiss https://t.co/BOH2OtHxMb pic.twitter.com/RAJpxtSQJd
— Charlie Prio (@CharliePrio1) January 28, 2025
The Packers have several notable pass rushers on the outside, and adding a player like Walter Nolan to the mix up the middle could be the next level for the defense. Although many experts will likely feel that Green Bay may miss out on Nolan due to their position in the late first round, it is still worth investigating how good of a fit Nolan could be. This early in the draft process, it is not impossible for Nolan’s projections to be too high, or even for General Manager Brian Gutekunst to become feel Nolan is worth trading up to acquire.
Although the Packers have not traded up in the first round in several years, fans may remember the team making a deal with the Seattle Seahawks in 2019 to move up and select safety Darnell Savage, who had a solid five-year career in Green Bay.
Nolan was marked as a player to watch entering the Senior Bowl, and is continuing to draw eyes in Mobile as he looks to be the first Ole Miss Rebel to be a first round pick since 2017, when TE Evan Engram was selected at 17th overall by the New York Giants.
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