The off-season will soon be in full swing, with the Super Bowl champion being crowned this weekend. The Detroit Lions have already lost both coordinators to head coaching opportunities, as well as many other members of the coaching staff. Who knows how many players they lose this off-season. But the good news is, there isn’t really a significant Lions free agent outside of Carlton Davis. There is a good chance that they bring back some of their free agents, like Ifeatu Melifonwu, Derrick Barnes, or Levi Onwuzerike, just to name a few.

As far as the draft, I’m not sure there is a pressing need for the Lions this year. Obviously, last April, the cornerback position was a desperate need, and that led to them drafting corners with their first and second round selections. Detroit’s approach will likely be to add more talent/depth on defense after being ravaged by injuries on that side of the ball in 2024-25. An offensive lineman could also be an option for the Lions at some point in the draft.

This is a meat and potatoes draft. It’s incredibly deep with talent in the trenches, especially defensively. The Lions need help in that area. I could definitely see them using multiple early picks on defensive lineman. One of the players that is certainly on Detroit’s radar is an SEC product, and we all know Brad Holmes’ draft history with the South Eastern Conference. Ole Miss defensive lineman Walter Nolen is a prospect to keep an eye on in round one for the Lions.

Who is Walter Nolen?

Nolen is a 6’3″, 300-pound menace in the trenches for the Ole Miss Rebels. He started his collegiate career with Texas A&M before transferring prior to the 2024 campaign. In 2021, he was named USA Today High School Football Player of the Year. Nolen is from Memphis, Tennessee and played high school football in Powell, Tennessee.

Nolen will provide a boost to a team in need of pass rush help. He had 11.5 sacks in three seasons with 6.5 sacks in 2024. He has strong hands at the point of attack and is very athletic.

Nolen made the Ole Miss vs. Florida game fun to watch. He lived in the backfield in that meeting and showed just how disruptive he is. Despite his impressive effort, Ole Miss fell short to the Gators. Nolen’s size, strength, and athleticism make him a first-round prospect.

Why is Walter Nolen a fit for the Lions?

Nolen has proven that he can get after the quarterback. The Detroit Lions generated the 10th fewest sacks this season and suffered in the pass rush category after Aidan Hutchinson’s injury against Dallas. The Lions would have ranked much lower in the trenches without Hutchinson’s impressive performance in the five games he was able to play in. They acquired Za’Darius Smith via trade and he will be paired with Hutchinson on the final year of his contract.

The Lions’ biggest need is to be better at getting after the opposing QB. A defensive line that features Hutchinson, Smith, Alim McNeil/D.J Reader, and Nolen could give Detroit one of the better defensive lines in football. Reader is playing on the final year of his contract, so Nolen can be his future replacement and be paired with McNeil long-term. I also believe that he’s athletic enough and does a good enough job taking good angles that he can play on the edge when needed.

The issue for Detroit is that he is likely to go top 15-20, if not higher. So it’s wishful thinking, but if he falls to the twenties, Detroit can use the ammunition that they received when Aaron Glenn was hired to trade up. The Lions now own a third-round pick, and it would make sense for them to use it to move up in round one. Nolen, may be their target if that’s the case.