Cardinals Look to Walter Nolen III as Defensive Anchor in 2026

The Arizona Cardinals made significant changes to their team. Kyler Murray has moved to Minnesota, and Jeremiyah Love joined Arizona. Their offensive strategy is now under Nathaniel Hackett’s guidance; he is working with first-time head coach Mike LaFleur, formerly the Rams’ offensive coordinator.

However, the focus in 2026 might shift to defense, centering on Walter Nolen III. The Cardinals selected Nolen with the 16th overall pick in the 2025 NFL Draft from Ole Miss.

Nolen had a standout junior year at Ole Miss. He earned consensus All-American and first-team All-SEC recognition, with impressive statistics. He recorded 48 combined tackles, 14 tackles for loss, 6.5 sacks, three pass deflections, and two fumble recoveries over 13 games.

Standing at 6-foot-4 and weighing 300 pounds, Nolen entered his rookie year with high expectations. Unfortunately, a calf injury put him on the physically unable to perform list (PUP) ahead of training camp. His NFL debut was delayed until Week 9 against the Cowboys. Despite the late start, he made an impact immediately. Against Dallas, he logged four tackles, two tackles for loss, and a sack. Later, he made a memorable scoop-and-score touchdown against the Jaguars.

His rookie season was cut short by a knee injury in Week 16 against Atlanta. He ended the year with 11 combined tackles, five tackles for loss, two sacks, and a fumble recovery over six games.

Looking ahead to 2026, Cardinals fans are eager to see Nolen in top form. Fortunately, his knee injury was a torn meniscus rather than the more serious torn ACL, which facilitated a faster recovery. Nolen is already training at the team’s facility as the Cardinals’ training camp begins. Arizona facilitated his rise by parting ways with veteran Calais Campbell, who played 525 defensive snaps last year, or 46% of the team’s total.

The Cardinals drafted Kaleb Proctor as another defensive option, but he too suffered a torn meniscus during OTAs, which amplifies Nolen’s and Darius Robinson’s responsibilities. With Nick Rallis continuing as defensive coordinator, Nolen benefits from consistency by not having to adjust to a new system.

Nolen enters Week 1 healthy and prepared. If he maintains his rookie performance throughout a full season, Arizona could have a reliable defensive presence for years to come.