Walter Nolen's father says family "loved" Tennessee visit

Saturday’s primetime game between Tennessee and Ole Miss at Neyland Stadium was a wild, memorable night. It featured the good, the bad and the ugly of college football.

And Tennesee’s top target in the 2022 recruiting cycle Walter Nolen of Powell (Tenn.) High was there to see it all.

The No. 6 overall recruit in the On300 made the short drive with his parents and younger brother, 2025 offensive lineman Warren Nolen, to campus Saturday for an unofficial visit.

Walter Nolen’s father told 247 Sports that the family really enjoyed their time in Knoxviille, Tenn.

“Loved it,” he told 247 Sports. “Great fan support. That Vol walk is a college tradition in my opinion is one of the best college traditions in the country. My family loved it.”

Nolen said he likes that both of his sons could play right away at multiple positions on the defensive line for Walter and offensive line for Warren.

“Even though they lost you can tell the coaching staff is trying to build something special at Rocky Top,” he said.

What Walter Nolen’s father said about Texas A&M?

Walter Nolen has spent the last two weeks watching two of the craziest games of the season. Last week, he was in College Station, Texas, to watch Texas A&M upset then-No. 1 Alabama.

Nolen was one of many recruits blown away by the experience.

“The environment here and atmosphere even before the win was spectacular,” Walter Nolen’s father said. “I’m sure it helped their recruitment of him.”

What does Chad Simmons think about the chase for Nolen?

On3’s Chad Simmons said that Walter Nolen’s recruitment was going to pick up steam this month with his visits to Texas A&M and Tennessee.

Heading into these visits he saw the Aggies and the Vols as his top two schools, but added that he thinks everyone is chasing Texas A&M.

“I think the the main schools involved are Texas A&M, Alabama, and Tennessee,” Simmons said. “He still lists Georgia in his top three. Unless he trips again to Athens, the Bulldogs, I think, are on the outside looking in. He did go to Florida for the Alabama game, took an official to Florida in June. The Gators can’t be ruled out. But again, it’s Texas A&M, Tennessee, Alabama — I think in that order.”