Monti Ossenfort praises newest Arizona Cardinal Walter Nolen, Gives reasons for the exciting pick.
The Arizona Cardinals got their man. With the 16th pick in the 2025 NFL Draft, they selected Walter Nolen, the dominant defensive tackle out of Ole Miss.
Speaking to the media after the pick, Cardinals’ general manager Monti Ossenfort had some high praise for his newest star.
Monti Ossenfort praises newest Arizona Cardinal Walter Nolen
There was no mistaking Monti Ossenfort’s excitement after landing Walter Nolen in the first round. Monti Ossenfort has been building Arizona’s defensive front throughout the offseason, and Walter Nolen serves as the perfect finishing touch.
Based on Ossenfort’s words to the media, Nolen could have a major impact right away. Ossenfort said, “He’s a disruptive player. He’s a three-down player. He’s good against the run. He’s good against the pass.”
Monti Ossenfort believes that Walter Nolen can do it all. At Ole Miss, Nolen showed flashes of dominance as a gap-shooting interior defender. He uses overwhelming power and quickness to make his way into the backfield and destroy opposing offenses.
Walter Nolen is at his best in clear passing situations, but he can contribute on all downs. Clearly, the Cardinals intend to play Nolen in multiple situations.
While he is able to play on all three downs, Nolen will have the opportunity to be part of a deep rotation in Arizona. Dalvin Tomlinson, Calais Campbell, Darius Robinson, Bilal Nichols, and Justin Jones should all earn significant playing time on the interior of the Cardinals defensive line. Nolen will be able to stay fresh, potentially eliminating the low-effort plays that muddied his college tape.
Jonathan Gannon echoed Ossenfort’s thoughts, saying, “He’s just a disruptive player in the run and pass game, and he can play up and down the line.”
The Cardinals clearly see Nolen as a player who can make a difference in their defense immediately. Gannon seems to have plans to utilize Nolen in multiple positions along the defensive line. He could be lined up against weak links on opposing offensive lines, set to take advantage of any holes he can find.
There is a tremendous air of excitement around the Arizona Cardinals franchise after the first round of the NFL draft. Let’s hope they continue hitting home runs moving forward.
