Rebels' DL Walter Nolen Tabbed 'Most Important Player' Ahead of 2024 Season
OXFORD, Miss. -- The Ole Miss Rebels have loaded up at just about every position this offseason as they prepare to make a push for their first-ever playoff appearance in 2024.
With the College Football Playoff expanding to 12 teams, Ole Miss and other programs who were once considered fringe contenders now have a legitimate shot at appearing in the postseason. This created a whirlwind in the NCAA Transfer Portal, with teams stocking up on talent for potential playoff runs.
Every contender has at least one or two players who will be critical to leading their respective teams to success this season, and CBS Sports recently picked out a key athlete from each program in its most recent Top 25 rankings.
For the Rebels, it would be easy to throw quarterback Jaxson Dart in this category, but the media outlet decided to pick a newcomer as Ole Miss' key player with spring practices underway.
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"Walter Nolen, DL: Ole Miss' defense was, overall, average in coordinator Pete Golding's first year, but it had one glaring deficiency: the run game," CBS wrote. "The Rebels were too often gashed on the ground, allowing eight opponents -- six of which came in conference play -- to reach at least 150 yards rushing. In its only two losses of the season, against Alabama and Georgia, Ole Miss gave up a combined 431 yards and six touchdowns on the ground. Too often the Rebels were moved off the point of attack. That shouldn't be an issue with Nolen, who has immense disruptive potential along the interior and can more than hold his own in the SEC's trenches."
Ole Miss defensive lineman Walter Nolen was the No. 1 overall recruit in the 2022 class, and recorded 66 total tackles, 11 tackles for loss, five sacks, and one forced fumble in two seasons with the Texas A&M Aggies. The Powell, Tenn., native is now the most talented player on Pete Golding's defense and will be a force for the Rebels in the run game.
As mentioned above, the Rebels are currently in the middle of spring practice, which will last until The Grove Bowl spring game on April 13. Ole Miss' 2024 season is set to begin on Aug. 31 when the Rebels host the Furman Paladins in Vaught-Hemingway Stadium.
