Former Ole Miss standout Walter Nolen drew Jalen Carter comparisons as a draft prospect. One scout believed the defensive tackle had the highest ceiling in the 2025 class. The Arizona Cardinals were impressed by his talent, as the team selected Nolen 16th overall.
However, the rookie defender was not so impressed with himself. Well, the Madden 26 version of himself. The latest iteration of the seminal football game boasts state of the art graphics and face scans to capture players’ likenesses.
But when Nolen fired up EA Sports’ latest entry and got a look at himself in video game form, he couldn’t hide his disappointment. “That’s not me,” he protested, per Whistle Sports.
“That's not me”
Cardinals rookie Walter Nolen was NOT IMPRESSED with his Madden 26 face scan 😅
(via Tyler.Nelson/TT)
pic.twitter.com/qecHkRdlE2— ClutchPoints (@ClutchPoints) August 31, 2025
Cardinals’ first-round pick Walter Nolen sidelined by injury
Madden 26 may have missed the mark on Nolen. But unfortunately, the first-year pro has bigger things to worry about.
Nolen will begin the 2025 season on the PUP list with a calf injury. The designation means he’ll miss at least the first four games for the Cardinals. While he’s eligible to be activated for Week 5, the ailment has lingered for over a month now and it’s unclear when Nolen will be healthy enough to take the field.
The first-round pick injured his calf preparing for training camp in July. Cardinals head coach Jonathan Gannon noted the 6’4”, 300-pound defensive lineman is rehabbing the injury. He hopes Nolen will join the team for Week 5’s home matchup against the Tennessee Titans.
The Cardinals are looking to build on an 8-9 finish last season, Gannon’s second at the helm. After fielding the 21st overall defense in 2024, Arizona worked on improving the unit this offseason.
The Cardinals reunited with Calais Campbell in free agency, signing the veteran to a one-year, $5.5 million deal. The big defensive end began his career with the team in 2008 and returns after an eight-year absence.
Arizona took Nolen 16th overall in the 2025 draft with the expectation that he would see significant playing time in his rookie season. His absence is a big blow, particularly after last year’s first-round pick, Darius Robinson, was also delayed by a calf injury. Robinson, the 27th overall pick in 2024 recorded 10 total tackles and one sack in six games as a rookie.
