Who Are Walter Nolen’s Parents?

Walter Nolen has been the red-hot riser on many NFL draft boards alongside his fellow teammate Jaxson Dart. More than a few expect the Ole Miss defensive lineman to be the late entrant to the top 15 picks.

But beyond the field, who exactly is Walter Nolen? And more importantly, who shaped him into the person he is today? Let’s take a closer look at Nolen’s family background, his parents, and his life away from football.

Walter Nolen’s parents

Nolen’s family has had a significant influence on his development. His father, Walter Nolen Sr., has been a prominent figure in his son’s recruitment after high school, which also impacted the youngster’s career. He’s the primary reason behind almost all professional decisions in the Ole Miss star’s life.

Back in 2021, Nolen Sr. shared insights into the schools that were pursuing his son, with Florida, Alabama, Georgia, Michigan, and Tennessee making the top five. Interestingly, Ole Miss wasn’t initially on that list.

Nolen’s mother, Yolunda Nolen, has also been an equally prominent figure in her son’s life. She could be described as his emotional compass.

Nolen once showered her with love by gifting her flowers during his high school senior night. Additionally, she was quite well-versed in recruitment lingo when her son was being courted. She has played a key role in shaping a fine young man who is now on the verge of achieving his dream of playing in the NFL.

Dating life

Nolen’s personal life is equally interesting. He has a girlfriend, Tyler Nelson, and the two share a baby boy. The couple was seen on Instagram around Christmas, sharing professional photos with their son.

But we probably wouldn’t even be talking about Nolen if it weren’t for his insane NFL Combine measurements. He’s 6 feet 4 inches tall and almost 300 pounds. That’s a lot of weight to contend with. Nolen received a production score of 80, however, his athleticism clocked in at just 65. Had he participated in drills at the Combine, he might have improved that score, but he’s still projected to go in the first round regardless.

Right now, Nolen has a grade of 6.5 entering the draft, which suggests he has significant boom-or-bust potential. It’ll be interesting to see whether he develops into a star for a defense or busts and fades from the spotlight.

Either way, Nolen’s parents, girlfriend, and son will be there with him every step of the way—his father offering career guidance, his mother providing emotional support, and his girlfriend and son offering stability.

With all these support systems in place, it’s hard to imagine Nolen failing. Still, we’ve seen players with seemingly better setups fall short in the past, so Nolen will need to stay focused and earn his spot on whichever defense he joins.

Honestly, he would fit nicely on a team looking for defensive improvements like the Bengals or Chargers.