Former Tennessee target Walter Nolen, the No. 2 recruit from the class of 2022, signed with Jimbo Fisher and Texas A&M back in December 2021.
With Nolen being an attendee of Powell High School in Knoxville during his recruitment, Tennessee was certainly a big player in that process. Nolen has previously pointed to great relationships on the coaching staff, specifically DL coach Rodney Garner, as enticing aspects of the Tennessee program.
Still, though, Nolen ended up enrolling at Texas A&M and has now completed his freshman season with the Aggies. The freshman powerhouse on the defensive line played in six games for the Aggies with two starts. Nolen found three tackles and forced a fumble while starting against Alabama early in the season.
On Thursday, Nolen posted an interesting picture on Instagram that quickly made rounds on Twitter and other platforms. Nolen posted a picture of himself looking up and forward with “Portal looking good…” as the caption.
Texas A&M DT Walter Nolen’s new Instagram story 👀 pic.twitter.com/DsluPDBPdr
— Shayne Pickering (@shaynep_media) January 26, 2023
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In total, Nolen finished his freshman season at Texas A&M with 29 total tackles, 17 solo tackles, one sack, one forced fumble, and one fumble recovery.
It’s important to note that the 45-day initial transfer portal window has already opened and closed. It began on Dec. 5, 2022, and closed on Jan. 19, 2023.
There is another window that will be opening soon, though.
After spring practices, from May 1-15, the portal will open back up for a second 15-day phase.
If Nolen were to enter the portal after spring practices, that would be the time to do it.
Prior to his career at Texas A&M, Walter Nolen helped Powell High School win the Tennessee 5A State Championship in December 2021 with a victory over Page High School.
So far, Tennessee has brought in eight players from the transfer portal this offseason, with many of them high-quality players:
- BYU CB Gabe Jeudy-Lally (four-star portal)
- Oregon WR Dont’e Thornton (four-star portal)
- BYU LB Keenan Pili (four-star portal)
- Texas OT Andrej Karic (three-star portal)
- UC Davis TE McCallan Castles (three-star portal)
- Arizona State DL Omarr Norman-Lott
- Miami OT John Campbell Jr.
- Indiana K Charles Campbell
