Eagles GM reveals inside strategy to evaluate risky draft picks with red flags before selecting them: Says, "we start with..."

As the NFL Draft approaches, one intriguing name that continues to surface in connection with the Philadelphia Eagles is Walter Nolen , the powerful defensive tackle from Ole Miss. General Manager Howie Roseman is known for swinging big when the stakes are high, and targeting Nolen might just be another calculated risk worth taking — even if it means trading up in the draft order.

How the Eagles sort through red flag prospects during the draft without risking team culture

Walter Nolen's physical gifts are undeniable. He brings rare explosiveness and size to the defensive line, and his upside is significant. However, teams have reportedly been divided on him due to character concerns, with some reportedly taking him off their draft boards entirely. Much of this scrutiny revolves around perceived maturity issues. But it's important to keep things in perspective — Nolen is just 21.


Players like Cooper DeJean were also 21 last season and excelled without any reported hiccups. Meanwhile, Jalen Carter — once scrutinized for similar reasons — has quickly turned a corner and now looks every bit the franchise cornerstone on Philadelphia’s defensive front. Imagining a duo like Carter and Nolen terrorizing offensive lines for years should be enough to excite any Eagles fan. But Roseman and his staff are no strangers to the delicate balancing act that comes with high-upside prospects who carry red flags.

During his recent pre-draft media session, Roseman addressed the team’s philosophy when it comes to evaluating such players. He explained, “It's very easy for us to get into individual arguments or make excuses for guys based on subjective factors, and I think that's really hard to do. So, for us, we start with these basic principles of, we will not draft because of this. And when we get past those guys, then we obviously have a process that we go through.”

This process heavily involves Dom DiSandro — affectionately known as "Big Dom" — the Eagles’ senior advisor and chief security officer, who plays a crucial role in character assessments. “I don't think there's any doubt that he's the best in the National Football League, and in my opinion, really all of sports, in what he does,” said Roseman. “His ability to not only gather information, but to have a feel for people.”

So far, Nolen hasn’t been publicly listed among the Eagles’ Top-30 visits, but with only 25 names known, there’s room for speculation. Given the attention around his maturity, a private visit would seem logical.

Roseman also touched on how they evaluate prospects with legal issues, like Marshall’s Mike Green. He noted, “We try not to make it subjective... We try to have objective criteria when it comes to the issues that you're asking me about... but it is important to us, the people that we bring in this building and that we know we can win with really good people.”

If Walter Nolen checks those boxes behind the scenes, don’t be surprised if the Eagles make a move. After all, betting on talent — wisely — has become a hallmark of Howie Roseman's draft legacy.

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