Arizona

Arizona Cardinals NFL draft grades: What grade for Walter Nolen 1st-round pick?

Published

10 months ago

April 25, 2025

Arizona Cardinals NFL draft grades: What grade for Walter Nolen 1st-round pick?

The Arizona Cardinals have made their first pick in the 2025 NFL Draft, taking Ole Miss defensive lineman Walter Nolen with the No. 16 pick in the first round.

Do NFL writers like the pick for Arizona?

Check out their early NFL draft grades for Arizona’s selection of Nolen, a 2024 Outland Trophy Finalist who spent one season with Ole Miss in which he started all 13 games at defensive tackle for a unit that racked up the most single-season sacks in program history.

Nolen finished the year with 48 tackles, 14 TFLs, 6.5 sacks, three passes defended and two fumble recoveries. Nolen played the two previous seasons for Texas A&M, where he appeared in 22 games (14 starts) and recorded 66 tackles, 11 TFLs, five sacks, one forced fumble, one fumble recovery and one pass breakup.

Watch 2025 NFL Draft on FUBO (free trial)

USA TODAY Sports: Cardinals get a B+ for Walter Nolen pick

Michael Middlehurst-Schwartz writes: “Monti Ossenfort is going all in on his defensive front in 2025. After adding edge rusher Josh Sweat and defensive linemen Dalvin Tomlinson and Calais Campbell in free agency, Arizona kept pushing by bringing on Nolen. A massively disruptive but still inconsistent interior penetrator, Nolen can ease into work and learn behind a fine mentor in Campbell, the 38-year-old who can help him unlock his full potential.”

Ayrton Ostly writes: “With Walker off the board, the Cardinals opt to address a need along the defensive line. Arizona signed both Calais Campbell and Dalvin Tomlinson in free agency but the team needs a long-term building block at the position. Nolen has incredible burst off the line with long arms for his 6-foot-4, 300-pound frame. He has a high ceiling as a pass rusher and can grow alongside 2024 first-round pick Darius Robinson.”

For The Win: Cardinals land a B for Walter Nolen pick

Robert Zeglinski writes: “We’ve reached the point in the draft where players become more about projection and floor. For Nolen, he’s not an elite athlete. He’s not particularly imposing size-wise, too. And, he’s kind of one-note as a pass-rusher that does not need to be uniquely schemed for. However, Nolen does have clean hands to beat blockers, and he knows how to play and plug gaps, either to make a disruptive play himself or to help his linebackers do so. Nolen is the latest perfectly cromulent addition to an already competent Cardinals defense. Jonathan Gannon is building a depth chart and rotation with genuine depth, especially up front. In this regard, while his potential doesn’t seem all that high in the long term, Nolen was a solid value add. He should have a long career.”

Yahoo Sports: Cardinals receive a B+ for Walter Nolen selection

Charles McDonald writes: “The Cardinals got a lot more disruptive with this pick. Walter Nolen has all the upside in the world to be an impact 3-technique at the next level and has a higher floor than Robert Nkemdiche, the last Ole Miss defensive tackle they selected in the first round. Nolen’s play is a bit streaky, but the big-play potential with Nolen is here in droves.”

Sports Illustrated: Cardinals land a B for Walter Nolen pick

Gilbert Manzano writes: “Nolen showed flashes of being a game-wrecker in his lone season at Ole Miss. He’ll now join a revamped defensive line in Arizona that just added edge rusher Josh Sweat and defensive tackle Dalvin Tomlinson. After two sluggish years at Texas A&M, it clicked for Nolen with his new team, becoming a consensus All-American and first-team All-SEC. Nolen had a team-high 14 tackles for loss and added 6.5 sacks. Developing consistency is key for Nolen, but there’s no denying his high upside after what he flashed at Ole Miss.”

CBS Sports: Cardinals earn a B for Walter Nolen selection

Pete Prisco writes: “Arizona has signed Calais Campbell and Dalvin Tomlinson after drafting Darius Robinson in the first-round a year ago. Jonathan Gannon is committed to fixing the defensive line and the Nolen is the latest addition. The former 5-star recruit is a quick penetrator that will be expected to bring down the opposing quarterback.”

The 33rd Team: Cardinals receive a B+ for Walter Nolen selection

Ian Valentino writes: “Jonathan Gannon saw the value of multiple high-end defensive tackles in Philadelphia, so he’s rolling the dice on Walter Nolen. Nolen can be a foundational piece for this franchise if his motor runs consistently high. His pass-rushing ability is elite, and his fluidity is rare for the position.”

FOX Sports: Cardinals get a C+ for Walter Nolen pick

Rob Rang writes: “The most disruptive interior defensive lineman of the class, Nolen is an intriguing fit for the Cardinals, especially given the addition of edge rusher Josh Sweat in free agency. Nolen was terrific at Ole Miss in 2024, but wasn’t as impressive as expected at the Senior Bowl. As such, there is some undeniable boom-or-bust factor with Nolen.”

We occasionally recommend interesting products and services. If you make a purchase by clicking one of the links, we may earn an affiliate fee. USA TODAY Network newsrooms operate independently, and this doesn’t influence our coverage.

Reach Jeremy Cluff at jeremy.cluff@arizonarepublic.com. Follow him on X, formerly Twitter @Jeremy_Cluff.

Support local journalism: Subscribe to azcentral.com today.

Source link

Click to comment

Arizona

Haitian man detained at Arizona ICE facility dies in US custody, brother says

Published

46 minutes ago

March 5, 2026

Press Room

Haitian man detained at Arizona ICE facility dies in US custody, brother says

FLORENCE, AZ (AP) — A Haitian man confined at an Arizona immigration detention center for months died at a hospital Monday after a tooth infection was left untreated, the man’s brother said Wednesday.

Emmanuel Damas, 56, told medical personnel at the Florence Correctional Center that he had a toothache in mid-February, but he was not sent to a dentist, said Damas’ brother, Presly Nelson.

Nelson believes the staff at the facility did not take his brother’s complaints seriously, even though it was a treatable condition. Nelson said he would expect such a death in countries with less access to health care, but not in the United States.

“As a country — I’m an American now — I think we can do better than that,” Nelson said.

Damas is among at least nine people who have died in Immigration and Customs Enforcement custody this year.

The Department of Homeland Security did not immediately respond to emails seeking comment. ICE had said it hoped to issue a news release Wednesday.

Earlier Wednesday, ICE officials announced the death of Mexican national Alberto Gutierrez-Reyes, who had been in a California ICE detention center and died in the hospital Feb. 27 after reporting chest pain and shortness of breath.

Chandler City Council member Christine Ellis, a Haitian American who is a registered nurse, said she was contacted by Damas’ family after his death.

“As a medical person, I am absolutely appalled that there were medical-licensed people that were working there and allowed those things to happen,” Ellis said. “It does not make sense to me.”

A report from the Maricopa County Medical Examiner’s Office listed Damas’ cause of death as “pending” as of Wednesday.

Damas was taken into ICE custody in September and was soon transferred to the medium-security Florence Correctional Center, where he was held for several months, including after his asylum application was denied, Ellis said.

CoreCivic, a for-profit corrections company that runs the Florence facility, did not respond to emails seeking comment.

See a spelling or grammatical error in our story? Please click here to report it.

Do you have a photo or video of a breaking news story? Send it to us here with a brief description.

Source link

Arizona

3 men sentenced in Arizona for multi-million dollar scam against Amazon

Published

13 hours ago

March 4, 2026

Press Room

3 men sentenced in Arizona for multi-million dollar scam against Amazon

PHOENIX (AZFamily) — Three Valley men have been sentenced for their roles in what prosecutors described as a “sophisticated fraud scheme” against an online shopping giant.

In a news release, the U.S. Attorney’s Office said Mughith Faisal, 29, of Glendale, was sentenced on Feb. 5 to 18 months in prison. His brother, Basheer Faisal, 28, of Glendale, was also recently ordered to spend 18 months in prison.

The feds said a third defendant in the case, Abdullah Alwan, 28, of Surprise, was sentenced to six months in prison after the trio pleaded guilty to wire fraud.

Prosecutors said the three were also each ordered to pay $1.5 million in restitution to Amazon.

According to federal officials, Alwan worked in Amazon’s logistics division and left the company in 2021 when he reportedly used his knowledge to manipulate rates for transportation deliveries assigned to Amazon’s third-party carriers.

The feds said Basheer and Mughith Faisal used “Blue Line Transport” to knowingly get to increased transport rates that Alwan would then input into Amazon’s system, ripping them off out of $4.5 million.

The FBI’s Phoenix Division helped in the investigation, which was then prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Arizona.

See a spelling or grammatical error in our story? Please click here to report it.

Do you have a photo or video of a breaking news story? Send it to us here with a brief description.

Source link

Arizona

Arizona Lottery Mega Millions, Pick 3 results for March 3, 2026

Published

1 day ago

March 4, 2026

Press Room

Arizona Lottery Mega Millions, Pick 3 results for March 3, 2026

The Arizona Lottery offers multiple draw games for those aiming to win big.

Here’s a look at Tuesday, March 3, 2026 results for each game:

Winning Mega Millions numbers

07-21-53-54-62, Mega Ball: 16

Check Mega Millions payouts and previous drawings here.

Winning Pick 3 numbers

2-0-8

Check Pick 3 payouts and previous drawings here.

Winning Fantasy 5 numbers

02-05-18-27-41

Check Fantasy 5 payouts and previous drawings here.

Winning Triple Twist numbers

11-14-17-19-23-24

Check Triple Twist payouts and previous drawings here.

Feeling lucky? Explore the latest lottery news and results

What time is the Powerball drawing?

Powerball drawings are at 7:59 p.m. Arizona time on Mondays, Wednesdays and Saturdays.

How much is a Powerball lottery ticket today?

In Arizona, Powerball tickets cost $2 per game, according to the Arizona Lottery.

How to play the Powerball

To play, select five numbers from 1 to 69 for the white balls, then select one number from 1 to 26 for the red Powerball.

You can choose your lucky numbers on a play slip or let the lottery terminal randomly pick your numbers.

To win, match one of the 9 Ways to Win:

5 white balls + 1 red Powerball = Grand prize.
5 white balls = $1 million.
4 white balls + 1 red Powerball = $50,000.
4 white balls = $100.
3 white balls + 1 red Powerball = $100.
3 white balls = $7.
2 white balls + 1 red Powerball = $7.
1 white ball + 1 red Powerball = $4.
1 red Powerball = $4.

There’s a chance to have your winnings increased two, three, four, five and 10 times through the Power Play for an additional $1 per play. Players can multiply non-jackpot wins up to 10 times when the jackpot is $150 million or less.

Are you a winner? Here’s how to claim your lottery prize

All Arizona Lottery retailers will redeem prizes up to $100 and may redeem winnings up to $599. For prizes over $599, winners can submit winning tickets through the mail or in person at Arizona Lottery offices. By mail, send a winner claim form, winning lottery ticket and a copy of a government-issued ID to P.O. Box 2913, Phoenix, AZ 85062.

To submit in person, sign the back of your ticket, fill out a winner claim form and deliver the form, along with the ticket and government-issued ID to any of these locations:

Phoenix Arizona Lottery Office: 4740 E. University Drive, Phoenix, AZ 85034, 480-921-4400. Hours: 7:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday, closed holidays. This office can cash prizes of any amount.

Tucson Arizona Lottery Office: 2955 E. Grant Road, Tucson, AZ 85716, 520-628-5107. Hours: 7:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday, closed holidays. This office can cash prizes of any amount.

Phoenix Sky Harbor Lottery Office: Terminal 4 Baggage Claim, 3400 E. Sky Harbor Blvd., Phoenix, AZ 85034, 480-921-4424. Hours: 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Sunday, closed holidays. This office can cash prizes up to $49,999.

Kingman Arizona Lottery Office: Inside Walmart, 3396 Stockton Hill Road, Kingman, AZ 86409, 928-753-8808. Hours: 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday and Sunday, closed holidays. This office can cash prizes up to $49,999.

Check previous winning numbers and payouts at https://www.arizonalottery.com/.

This results page was generated automatically using information from TinBu and a template written and reviewed by an Arizona Republic editor. You can send feedback using this form.

Source link