Why Walter Nolen Was Perfect Pick for Cardinals

The Arizona Cardinals have been widely applauded for the haul they landed from the 2025 NFL Draft.

The Cardinals made seven picks including six on defense. Ole Miss interior defensive lineman Walter Nolen was the team's first-round pick and naturally its prized possession.

The selection of Nolen wasn't much of a surprise given the need for a talent upgrade at the position. Arizona added a few faces to the room in free agency with Calais Campbell and Dalvin Tomlinson, but neither are long-term answers.

Insert Nolen.

It was great value for where the Cardinals grabbed him. Although it never felt as though he had a consensus for where he should've been drafted, word got out that he was a potential top-10 pick. Instead, he fell into the laps of the Cardinals, and they wasted no time scooping him up.

Why Walter Nolen Was Perfect for Cardinals

1.) Filling a need

Arizona needed to leave the 2025 draft with upgrades at edge rusher and interior defensive line above all else. In a draft class stacked at both positions, this was a non-negotiable. But they managed to make it work and Nolen is a terrific addition to meet that quota and fill the need.

2.) Best Player Available

Look at the draft board when Arizona made Nolen the pick and you'll see that he was at or near the top of the available players. There was a select handful of players Arizona could've picked that would've been ok including edge rusher Shemar Stewart, wide receiver Matthew Golden, or defensive back Jahdae Barron.

But in terms of filling an immediate need and their placement for their position, Nolen ranked the best of those options.

3.) High upside

The term "high upside" has become a tired one that is said a seemingly endless number of times. But when a guy fits that bill, then you don't hesitate to give him that label. We saw Nolen, one of the consensus two-best high school recruits in the 2022 high school class, explode in his lone season with the Rebels after two underwhelming (at best) seasons at Texas A&M.

We were treated to just a taste of what Nolen can become and it makes him a selection to generate major excitement.

Other reasons:

-- Nolen had proven production at a top SEC school and stood out on an elite defense littered with NFL talent.

-- The marriage between Nolen and the Cardinals could reap serious rewards for the two. Arizona can dial up a defense and pass rush to help Nolen's production take a leap forward. In return, Nolen's presence creates more opportunities for teammates to make plays.

-- Finally, Nolen will be placed in a rotational role behind the aforementioned veterans Campbell and Tomlinson. He'll also work in with Dante Stills and others depending on roster cuts. This will help the high-upside talent take some time to hone his skills before being forced into a full-time role.

The pairing between Nolen and the Cardinals was perfect down to the last, minute details. The team can get the best of him for the upcoming season by allowing him to work into the line up and adjust to the next level.

It will give him the perfect scenario to ascend to his best potential and become a superstar with time and patience.

This was a phenomenal selection and it only looks better and better as we take a closer look into it.