Getty Image / Brian Lynn
The transfer portal is officially open as of Monday, and tons of high-profile players will be entering the portal in the next few days, as well as the many who are already in. And, one of the biggest names in the portal was the nation’s top recruit in 2022.
That would be Texas A&M defensive lineman Walter Nolen. The Tennessee native and physical freak announced on Sunday that he would be entering the transfer portal.
He told On3 Sports of his plans.
Nolen sent the following message to On3.
“First off I wanna thank God for putting me in the position that I am in today. It has been a good run over the past 2 years, a lot of ups and downs.
Being here at Texas A&M has taught me a lot, on and off the field, but with that being said I will be entering my name into the transfer portal with 2 years of eligibility.
My Recruitment is WIDE OPEN!”
Nolen was the number one overall recruit in the On3 rankings for the class of 2022 due to his incredible blend of size at 6-4 and over 300 pounds, and excellent athleticism with a mean streak. He was part of a 2022 Texas A&M recruiting class that many considered the best ever, especially on the defensive line. He was one of four five-star players on the defensive line in the class.
After 29 tackles and one sack as a true freshman last year, Nolen really established himself as one of the nation’s better interior defensive linemen this year. Nolen had 37 tackles, 8.5 tackles for loss, and 4 sacks, showing off his massive potential.
The Aggies fired head coach Jimbo Fisher in November. And, the position coach who recruited him to Texas A&M, Elijah Robinson, is set to go to Syracuse as the team’s defensive coordinator. Those two things may have played a factor in his decision to leave College Station.
It’s that blend of production and potential that will make him a top target for every power program in America in the portal. It’s way too early to speculate on where he will end up, but it’s going to make a huge difference for some program out there.