Ole Miss Football Duo Selected in First Round of 2025 NFL Draft

GREEN BAY, Wis. – Two Rebels had their dreams realized Thursday evening when they were drafted in the first round of the 2025 NFL Draft.

Defensive tackle Walter Nolen was the first Ole Miss player who heard his name called during this year’s draft with the 16th overall pick by the Arizona Cardinals. Nine picks later, the New York Giants traded up to select quarterback Jaxson Dart with the 25th pick.

The two first round selections tied for the second-most in program history. The Rebels had three first round picks in 2016 (Laremy Tunsil, Laquon Treadwell, Robert Nkemdiche) and two in 1966 (Stan Hindman, Mike Dennis) and 2009 (Michael Oher, Peria Jerry).

Nolen and Dart become the 24th and 25th Rebels to be selected in the first round of the NFL Draft. Since the AFL/NFL merger in 1967, 18 players from Ole Miss have now been selected in the first round, 14 total since the 7-round modern era began in 1994.

Nolen is the highest Rebel selected overall since Laremy Tunsil was picked 13th by the Miami Dolphins in 2016, as well as the highest Ole Miss defensive player selected since Patrick Willis was selected 11th overall by the San Francisco 49ers in 2007.

The Powell, Tennessee, native had only one season with the Rebels, but he left his mark as one of only 14 unanimous All-Americans in the deep history of Ole Miss football. The former No. 1 overall recruit came to Oxford from Texas A&M and immediately had an impact in 2024, anchoring the best rush defense in the nation and one of the best overall defensive units in Ole Miss history. The Outland Trophy finalist started all 13 games on the defensive interior, helping the Rebels reset team school records in sacks (52) and tackles for loss (120) – which both led the nation.

Nolen finished sixth on the team with 48 total tackles (25 solo) and was tied for the team lead with 14.0 tackles for loss (50 yards) – fourth-most in the SEC and tied for the 10th-most in a single season in Ole Miss history. Nolen was also fourth on the team with 6.5 sacks for 36 yards while adding four QB hurries, three pass breakups and two fumble recoveries.

Among defenders at all positions, Nolen ranked as PFF’s sixth-best run defender in the nation with a season-grade of 91.6 (No. 2 SEC). Among interior defensive linemen, Nolen led the SEC and ranked second nationally in run defense grade (91.6) while also leading the SEC in season defensive grade (88.9; No. 4 FBS) and pressures (35; No. 8 FBS).

Dart is only the third Ole Miss quarterback selected in the first round, joining all-time legends Archie Manning in 1971 (2nd overall, New Orleans Saints) and Eli Manning in 2004 (1st overall, San Diego Chargers before trade to the New York Giants).

Dart arrived as a highly-touted transfer from USC in 2022, and he leaves Oxford now as one of the most decorated Rebels to ever don the Red and Blue. In three years as Ole Miss’ main signal caller, the Kaysville, Utah, native reset career marks in wins by a starting quarterback (28), winning percentage by a starting QB (.747; 28-10), total offense (12,115), passing yards (10,617), passing efficiency (162.8), 300-yard passing games (15), rushing yards by a QB (1,498) and total offense per play (8.14), while tying records in yards per pass attempt (9.5) and 400-yard passing games (4).

Last fall, Dart closed out his illustrious Ole Miss career with a spectacular 2024 campaign that saw him reset seven single-season school records. Dart won the Gator Bowl MVP award, the Conerly Trophy (awarded to the best player in Mississippi) and was a first team All-SEC selection after leading the nation in total offense (4,774), total offense per game (367.2), passing efficiency (180.7), yards per attempt (10.8), 30-yard completions (38), 40-yard completions (19), 50-yard completions (12), 60-yard completions (9) and was tied for the national lead in 20-yard completions (74).

Dart also led the SEC in passing yards (4,279; No. 3 FBS), passing yards per game (329.2; No. 3 FBS) and completion percentage (69.3; No. 9 FBS), while finishing with the top-10 season PFF grades nationally in passing (1st, 91.9), big time throw percentage (T-1st, 7.1), offensive rating among QBs (2nd, 92.5), NFL passer rating (2nd, 122.3), big time throws (3rd, 30), average depth of target (T-3rd, 11.9), adjusted completion percentage (7th, 77.7) and first downs (8th, 182).