Packers Hosting ‘Next Aaron Donald’ on NFL Draft Visit

The Green Bay Packers need a more explosive and consistent pass rush. Could that be Walter Nolen? One of the premier defensive tackle prospects, he arrived in Green Bay on Monday for a predraft visit.

The visit was first reported by The Athletic’s Matt Schneidman.

After two seasons at Texas A&M, Nolen transferred to Mississippi and dominated in 2024. He was a consensus All-American with 6.5 sacks and 14 tackles for losses in 13 games. He is expected to be a first-round pick.

“Violent, just plain violent,” he said of his game at the Scouting Combine. “I feel like I play fast. Fast and violent, that’s how the game is supposed to be played.”

The Packers have a void on the defensive line after TJ Slaton signed with the Bengals. Nolen’s skill-set couldn’t be any more different than Slaton’s. However, the Packers’ longtime stalwart up front, Kenny Clark, is coming off a down season. Plus, the line’s other playmaker, Devonte Wyatt, could be a free agent after the season.

According to Pro Football Focus, 161 draft-eligible defensive tackles had at least 200 pass-rushing opportunities. Nolen ranked 18th in pass-rush win rate, 16th in pass-rush productivity (which measures sacks, hits and hurries per pass-rushing snap) and eighth in pressures. He ranked third among interior defensive linemen in TFLs.

“I feel like I do everything. It’s hard to find someone who looks like me and do the things I do,” Nolen said.

Nolen measured 6-foot-3 3/4 and 296 pounds with 32 1/2-inch arms at the Scouting Combine. He did not go through testing but probably would have been exceptional.

“He is really, really twitched up,” NFL Network’s Daniel Jeremiah said during a pre-Scouting Combine conference call.

In a recent podcast, Jeremiah specifically mentioned Nolen as a fit for the Packers.

“I'm like, just throw him into that mix of all those guys,” Jeremiah said. “You’ve got a bunch of really athletic, explosive players in that front seven. Now, you’d like to see it all come together. Edgerrin Cooper, by the way, is going to be awesome. So, they've got a lot of talent there. It hasn't all bubbled up to the surface yet, but I think they just continue to throw more guys into the mix. So, that’s the direction I went.”

In his latest rankings, Nolen is the No. 28 prospect. In The Beast, The Athletic’s Dane Brugler has Nolen ranked No. 31.

“Overall, Nolen has areas of his game that require maturing, but he flashes big-time disruption in his initial burst and fast, physical hands to regularly affect the backfield action,” Brugler wrote as part of a much more extensive scouting report.

The native of Powell, Tenn., was a high school All-American.

“The game has taught me to never give up on anything,” he said at the time. “It's important to keep working and stay humble.”

After a strong college career, he was picked for the Senior Bowl. Jeremiah listed Nolen among his 12 standouts of the week.

Before the Senior Bowl, Nolen made a bold comparison.

“I’m the next Aaron Donald, man,” he told The Draft Network.

“I feel like I can do it all. 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.”

Nolen said he started playing tackle football when he was 5. From a young age, he liked watching Donald. He thinks he brings a little of Donald’s game to the field.

“His violence and how fast he gets off the ball. His motor,” he said at the Combine. “I feel like I’ll bring some of those same things to whatever team I go to.”

His defensive coordinator at Ole Miss, Pete Golding, also coached at Alabama. Nolen reminds him of one of his pupils in Tuscaloosa, All-Pro Quinnen Williams, because of his ability to create havoc up and down the line.

“And then on third down, he's got enough juice that you're not taking him off the field,” Golding said last season. “He's got a lot of position flex. I think he can be an elite pass rusher inside, but I think he's very, very, very valuable in the run game. He's a three-down player for us. Has played in this league and has continued to mature, grow up and do things the right way.”