Possible Bengals First Round Pick Walter Nolen Doesn't Go Through Athletic Testing During Ole Miss Pro Day

The Bengals have the No. 17 pick in the 2025 NFL Draft.

Feb 26, 2025; Indianapolis, IN, USA; Mississippi defensive lineman Walter Nolen (DL23) during the 2025 NFL Scouting Combine at the Indiana Convention Center. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images | Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

CINCINNATI — Ole Miss defensive tackle Walter Nolen didn't go through athletic testing at his pro day on Friday. That makes him the latest potential Bengals draft target that won't have a complete pre-draft profile.

Texas A&M defensive end Nick Scourton, Michigan tight end Colston Loveland, Boise State running back Ashton Jeanty and Penn State tight end Tyler Warren are other projected first round picks that didn't go through athletic testing during the pre-draft process.

What does this mean for the Bengals?

Well, it certainly matters, but history says that they're willing to overlook athletic testing if they trust their evaluation.

Joe Burrow is one of the best quarterbacks in the NFL. He didn't run the 40-yard dash, throw at the NFL Combine or do any pre-draft testing.

Unfortunately for the Bengals, that's where the hits end. Previous draft busts including Cedric Ogbuehi, Billy Price and Jackson Carman didn't test due to injuries, which gave them incomplete profiles. Despite that, the Bengals used premium draft capital on all three players (two first round picks and a second round pick) and it didn't work out.

Nolen still went through position drills and certainly feels like a legitimate candidate for the Bengals in the first round, but it's a bummer to not have a full pre-draft profile on the Ole Miss product. He did do 27 reps of 225 pounds on the bench press.

Check out video of Nolen from the pro day below:

Really good group overall. Nolen (first) and Pegues (last). https://t.co/2fX3ocoANW pic.twitter.com/35fxRYes6O

— Jordan Reid (@Jordan_Reid) March 28, 2025

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