Walter Nolen III now has his contract, as the 16th overall pick worth nearly $20 million guaranteed, but he is still a rookie, and with that status comes rookie duties.
"I've been trying to be proactive," Nolen said, "but when we get back (for training camp), I'm going to have a nice little setup."
The defensive tackle will have time to plan it out. The Cardinals are gone for the offseason, mostly scattered for the summer until training camp begins in a little more than a month. But the first-round pick has already accomplished the most important task of his post-draft status, impressing those who have watched him on an NFL field for his first weeks.
"His quickness, his pass rush, he's just fluid," veteran defensive tackle Dalvin Tomlinson said. "It comes natural. He's just a natural good defensive tackle. I'm happy I'm part of the process to help him improve."
Similar praise was earned by 2024 first-round pick Darius Robinson, praise that continued into training camp until Robinson suffered his rookie-season-derailing calf injury in August.
Robinson is back and that's what makes the addition to Nolen intriguing. The Cardinals have veterans – Tomlinson, Calais Campbell, Justin Jones, L.J. Collier, Bilal Nichols – but defensive coordinator Nick Rallis is about piling up young disruptors to anchor his unit.
"You can really wreak havoc with that front," said Rallis, who called Nolen "coachable."
The reality of practice in May and June is that it isn't really football, especially for the linemen who need full contact in pads to truly understand their growth. (Coach Jonathan Gannon said defensive linemen have the advantage in the offseason because the offensive linemen can't grab on – legally – like they can in camp or the season.)