FOX Sports Compares Arizona Cardinals Rookie to Franchise Legend

The Arizona Cardinals may have a future star on their hands.

The NFL Draft brings all kinds of prospects. Some with higher ceilings than others, of course.

But according to one prominent outlet, Arizona's first-rounder may have an exceptionally high ceiling.

FOX Sports Compares Arizona Cardinals Rookie Walter Nolen to Darnell Dockett

According to FOX Sports' NFL Draft Analyst Rob Rang, the Cardinals could see the re-emergence of a franchise legend in first-round DL Walter Nolen III.

Rang put together a list of one rookie from each NFL draft class, and compared that rookie to a former franchise hero.

Nolen's comparison? Legendary sack artist and QB terrorizer Darnell Dockett.

"The 6-foot-4, 296-pound Nolen exploded for Ole Miss a year ago, earning consensus All-American honors after finishing third in the nation with 14.5 tackles for loss," wrote Rang.

"His initial explosiveness, agility and effort should make him a frequent big-play candidate in Jonathan Gannon’s defense, perhaps ultimately mirroring the career of the similarly gifted Dockett, a three-time Pro Bowler who spent the entirety of his 10-year NFL career with the Cardinals."

Arizona Cardinals' Walter Nolen III has High Ceiling

The Cardinals needed to improve their defensive line in a major way. GM Monti Ossenfort took that task seriously in free agency, but may have gotten a steal in Nolen at No. 16 overall.

Nolen is an explosive, dangerous presence along the defensive line. While he's shown an ability to get to the QB, he's more than just a pass rush specialist. Nolen picked up 6.5 sacks as an interior DL in his senior season with Ole Miss, but also picked up 48 total tackles, including the above-mentioned 14 TFLs.

But the beauty of Nolen's situation is that Arizona doesn't need him to come in and be the second coming of Darnell Dockett — at least, not right away.

While Dockett eventually became one of the most terrifying presences in the NFL for the Cardinals in his 10-year career, a player of that caliber doesn't always make his presence known on day one.

Nolen, with an upgraded DL around him and an improved pass rush, can focus more on developing his game and growing into the player the Cardinals think and hope he can be.

With veterans like Calais Campbell and Dalvin Tomlinson to help him find his way, and the off-field concerns all but completely dispersed, Nolen has an opportunity to take the NFL by storm and live up to the potential his impressive physicality can provide.

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