Predicting Walter Nolen’s impact this season for Texas A&M football

Texas A&M football had the top-ranked recruiting class in 2022 and one of the headliners is five-star defensive tackle Walter Nolen. 

It’s no secret that Texas A&M football is loaded with talent after signing the top-ranked recruiting class in the history of the 247 sports composite rankings.

But what is all that talent going to mean for the Aggies in 2022? Texas A&M football is fresh off an 8-4 season and while things didn’t go as planned, such as starting quarterback Haynes King getting injured, the season was a major disappointment, even with a win over Alabama.

That win provides hope for Texas A&M and its fans that it can reach the upper echelon of the SEC because it hasn’t happened yet and the Aggies haven’t even won an SEC West title or really come that close outside of one time.

But the 2022 recruiting class and a number of other elite recruiting classes put together by Jimbo Fisher should have the Aggies ready to roll this season and one recruit who should make an immediate impact next season is five-star DT Walter Nolen.

Will Walter Nolen be the Aggies’ top freshman?

Five-star wide receiver Evan Stewart has been turning heads and has already worked his way into the starting lineup this spring. So he could definitely make a case for being Texas A&M’s most impactful freshman this fall.

However, I’m still really high on Nolen and think he’ll also be able to make an immediate impact on the Aggies. He’s 6-foot-4, 325 pounds and he moves really well. He sort of reminds me of a Warren Sapp kind of player — a three-technique with big-time pass-rush ability.

Of course, Nolen is just one of eight five-star prospects signed by the Aggies in the 2022 class. Last season in high school he notched 28 tackles for loss and 17 sacks living in the opposite backfield.

247 analyst Josh Pate also had this to say about Nolen:

"“He is 6-4. He’s 325. There’s no sloppy size on him. He’s very advanced technically. He’s very violent. He’s very aggressive, but also, he does not have a lot of ‘looseness’ to his game. This is not an official scouting term; this is how I talk about defensive linemen. So I don’t care how good they are already. Walter Nolen will be an impact player – eventually, if not immediately – for A&M. His pro comparison from our guys here at 247 was Dexter Lawrence at Clemson. I don’t think I need to tell you too much more than that.”"

Pate hedged a little at the end and said that if Nolen doesn’t make an impact right away, he will eventually, but I think Nolen is going to get snaps right away and he’s going to be a disruptive presence on the A&M defensive line for years to come. Well, at least three.