Cardinals add to their defense, select Mississippi’s Walter Nolen with No. 16 pick in NFL draft

By Canadian Press on April 24, 2025.

TEMPE, Ariz. (AP) — The Arizona Cardinals selected Mississippi defensive lineman Walter Nolen with the No. 16 pick in the NFL draft on Thursday night, adding talent to a revamped unit.

The 6-foot-4, 296-pound Nolen had 14 1/2 tackles for loss and 6 1/2 sacks last season while anchoring the Rebels’ defensive line.

Arizona is trying to put the finishing touches on a multi-year rebuild, improving to 8-9 last season after finishing with a 4-13 record in both 2022 and 2023. Third-year coach Jonathan Gannon and general manager Monti Ossenfort are under pressure to make the playoffs for the first time since 2021.

The Cardinals spent much of their offseason improving their defensive front, adding Josh Sweat, Dalvin Tomlinson and Calais Campbell in free agency. Now they’ve grabbed Nolen, hoping to improve a group that was inconsistent last season.

Arizona has five more picks in the draft, including two on Friday at No. 47 and No. 78.

The Cardinals had two first-round picks last year, selecting receiver Marvin Harrison Jr. at No. 4 and defensive lineman Darius Robinson at No. 27. Harrison had a solid rookie season with 62 catches for 885 yards and eight touchdowns, while Robinson missed much of his first season with a calf injury.

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AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/NFL

David Brandt, The Associated Press

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