Mile High Report
The Broncos will meet with Ole Miss IDL Walter Nolen at the Scouting Combine later tonight.
According to Andrew Mason of Denver Sports, Ole Miss defensive lineman Walter Nolen says he’ll meet with the Broncos tonight at the NFL Scouting Combine.
Nolen is projected to be a first-round pick in April’s NFL Draft and is viewed as one of the more explosive defensive linemen in this draft. He is listed at 6-3, 293 pounds and projects as a potential high-level interior pass rusher.
The Broncos do have Zach Allen and John Franklin-Myers who currently fill these roles but both are in the final years of their contracts. Now, I would expect Allen to get an extension after his great 2024 season but as the Eagles proved, you can never have enough interior pass rushers.
NFL.com’s Lance Zierlein compares Nolen to Broncos defensive lineman John Franklin-Myers and says that he has a blend of explosiveness and playmaking talent.
Nolen has NFL-starting size but won’t blow you away with his physical traits. However, he gains quick advantages with his explosiveness into contact and ability to beat up blockers when singled up. He has the athletic talent to play into gaps but needs to play with better hands to keep himself clean at the point of attack. He wins as a rusher with his athleticism and play strength, and doesn’t need to be schemed for. The pass rush still requires refinement, but he already flashes quick-win moves that foreshadow good pressure and sack production as a pro. Nolen’s blend of explosiveness and playmaking talent create high upside as a three-down interior lineman.
Eagles provided the blueprint to beat Patrick Mahomes and the Chiefs. You need to get pressure from your front four, have a deep rotation, and make life hell for Mahomes all game. The Broncos led the league in sacks and were able to get after Mahomes in the infamous blocked field goal game, but adding more depth and pass rushers is always a good idea.
I do not view Nolen as a replacement for D.J. Jones at nose tackle, but he would add some much-needed depth behind Allen and Franklin-Myers. He can rotate in for both throughout the game and give the Broncos a pretty talented interior pass-rushing group.
Like I said when talking about Kenneth Grant, defensive line is a legit option for the Broncos at 20th overall. Your top tight end and running back will likely be off the board and the strength of the draft will be at defensive line. So, we could see a Walter Nolen or Kenneth Grant being the Broncos pick at 20th overall in the first round of the 2025 NFL Draft.
