Ole Miss football lands top player in transfer portal, former Texas A&M defensive lineman

OXFORD, Miss. — Ole Miss football's transfer portal class just transformed from noteworthy to fearsome.

Walter Nolen, a Texas A&M transfer and the top-ranked player in the portal according to 247Sports, committed Sunday to play for the Rebels, according to his post on social media.

The 6-foot-4, 290-pound Nolen was a versatile asset for the Aggies last season along the defensive line, playing roles on the interior and the edge. He concluded the regular season with 37 total tackles, 8.5 tackles for loss and four sacks.

He began his high school career in Mississippi before moving on to play in Tennessee. A five-star recruit in the 2022 class, Nolen was the second-ranked player in his cycle by the 247Sports Composite. He will have two seasons of eligibility remaining.

Nolen gives defensive coordinator Pete Golding another tool to work with on a defensive front that he revitalized in 2023. The Rebels finished the regular season as college football's 16th-best pass rush. They've since added Princely Umanmielen of Florida and Tyler Baron of Tennessee – who combined for 13 sacks during the regular season – to go along with a truly elite athlete in Nolen.

David Eckert covers Ole Miss for the Clarion Ledger. Email him at deckert@gannett.com or reach him on Twitter @davideckert98.