2022 Defensive Tackle Walter Nolen Thinks Playing at LSU Would Be “Great Experience”
LSU 2022 defensive tackle recruit Walter Nolen is one of the top players in the country. There really isn't much he can't do on a football field as a rising junior at IMG Academy, a hub for producing some of the best high school football players around.
Most recently, LSU brought in cornerback Elias Ricks from IMG, a program that's also produced quarterback talents like Kellen Mond and Shea Patterson in years prior. Nolen recently transferred to the powerhouse IMG after originally being from Olive Branch, Mississippi, where he attended school with recent LSU signee Xavier Hill.
"He says it's a great environment to be in and basically just telling me that LSU isn't like a normal home stadium or fan base," Nolen said. "They get pretty rowdy. Playing ball at LSU with Xavier would be a great experience, if nothing else then to have a familiar face in the locker room."
That's something he was able to experience first hand in 2019 when the Tigers took out Florida under the lights in Death Valley 42-28.
"It was great, I had a fun time and it was my first time being on the campus so I was just trying to see a lot of different stuff but they took us on a tour of the practice facility," Nolen said. "Out of all of the college games I went too last year, that was probably one of the best ones."
After the game, Nolen even got to briefly meet a few players including quarterback Joe Burrow, receiver Ja'Marr Chase and linebacker Patrick Queen.
"They were just telling me that choosing to go to LSU was the best decision they ever made," Nolen said. "They didn't regret choosing LSU and signing there and obviously it paid off with a national championship."
Currently ranked as the No. 6 player in the country and top defensive tackle prospect according to 247Sports, Nolen holds offers from LSU, Alabama, Florida, Oklahoma, Ole Miss and Mississippi State.
Nolen says LSU and Clemson have been the two schools showing the most interest in him. He talks with Clemson regularly and says LSU has sent a ton of mail his way in recent weeks.
"I want to try and get to as many schools as possible because my recruitment is still wide open," Nolen said. "I'm trying to give everybody an equal chance."
As it pertains to his LSU recruitment specifically, Nolen said he has yet to meet coach Ed Orgeron but is supposed to be talking with the Tigers leading man within the next month or so. He has spoken with defensive line coach Bill Johnson.
"After watching my film, he said he likes that I have a high motor and he likes the way I use my hands to move offensive linemen," Nolen said. "I've played [in a 4-3] my whole life until I got to Olive Branch and then started running a 3-4 but I enjoy running a 4-3."
While Nolen feels he'd be a cerebral fit in any defensive scheme LSU runs, there are a few elements to his game that he wants to continue to perfect in the immediate future. Nolen considers himself to be an explosive athlete but really wants to improve his hand speed.
He's primarily working out at home, where he hopes to add to strength and quickness to his already mammoth 6-foot-5, 290-pound frame. Nolen has a trainer that will help him run through drills and various hand speed techniques.
Orgeron and LSU will obviously be keeping a close eye on Nolen over the next few years as he has the chance to become an elite interior lineman at the collegiate level.
