Walter Nolen, the nation’s top defensive linemen in the class of 2022, listed Florida in his top three schools on Saturday, according to 247Sports.
Tennessee, Alabama, Georgia and Michigan joined Florida in Nolen’s top five in July but only the Volunteers and Gators made the most recent cut. Texas A&M jumped into the fold with a recent unofficial visit and rounds out the top three.
ESPN has Nolen at the No. 1 spot on its top-300 list and 247Sports has him at No. 2 behind Florida State commit Travis Hunter. Getting a recruit of Nolen’s caliber would turn an already good 2022 Florida recruiting class into a great one.
Honored to say that this will be my TOP 5 as of now pic.twitter.com/rHeDAX84Fh
— Walter Nolen9️⃣🏈🏈 (@WalterNolen4) July 9, 2021
Nolen made two visits to Gainesville this summer, one official and one unofficial, but Dan Mullen’s team has been recruiting him since 2020. They were hoping to host him for the third time in two months during the Gators’ Friday Night Lights camp at the end of July but Nolen used that weekend to visit Texas A&M instead.
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After a three-day stay in College Station, the Aggies shot up Nolen’s board, so Florida has their work cut out for them. Tennessee will enjoy an in-state advantage as the recruit relocates just outside of Knoxville for his senior year.
Nolen and his father have given hints at a timeline for his decision. The five-star recruit may have to wait past a self-appointed August decision date but he hasn’t wiped it completely off the table. He may need to make a few more visits.
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