Pro Football Focus listed Arizona Cardinals defensive lineman Walter Nolen III as one of the top rookies through Week 12 of the 2025 NFL season.
PFF listed Nolen at the top of the list with a grade of 84.6. Lauren Gray said the No. 16 pick out of Ole Miss has made his presence felt on the field despite missing the first half of the season with a calf injury.
Nolen has logged a 73.5 PFF run-defense grade, powered by five tackles with three stops across 44 snaps. He’s generating a 22.7% positive play rate as a run defender. He also ranks seventh in PFF pass-rush grade (78.7) and 15th in pass-rush win rate (13.7%). He has notched a sack, a quarterback hit and a batted pass across 51 such snaps.
Since making his NFL debut against the Dallas Cowboys on Nov. 3, Nolen has notched eight tackles and a sack in four games played.
A notable moment of Nolen’s rookie season so far occurred last week when he recovered a fumble for a touchdown in the Cardinals’ 27-24 overtime loss against the Jacksonville Jaguars. He would leave the game later with a knee injury.
Nolen was ruled out for the Cardinals’ Week 13 game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers due to the injury.
Cardinals cornerback Will Johnson makes PFF list
Nolen wasn’t the only Cardinal to make the list as cornerback Will Johnson was listed as the ninth-best rookie with a grade of 75.5.
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Through six games played, Johnson has registered 19 tackles with six passes defensed and a forced fumble. He has missed the Cardinals’ last two games due to hip and back issues.
Johnson was a full participant in Cardinals practice on Friday and looks to be on track to return to the field on Sunday.
Other notable rookies to appear on the list included former Sun Devil and New York Giants running back Cam Skattebo (No. 2, 80.5) and former Wildcat and Carolina Panthers receiver Tetairoa McMillan (No. 5, 78.8).
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