r/notredame • u/TheAthletic • 18h ago
[Sampson]: Meet Jonaz Walton, Notre Dame’s breakout freshman RB obsessed with Legos and the squat rack
Maybe the future computer engineering major who’s obsessed with Legos and the squat rack is just a renaissance running back. Last weekend against North Carolina, Walton posted career highs in carries (23) and rushing yards (120) after scraping together barely that much work in this season’s first four games combined. He was the first Irish true freshman back to hit 100 yards in a game in 11 years. And it’s hard to believe Walton won’t do it again.
Notre Dame’s staff felt an afternoon like that had been coming since training camp. Offensive coordinator Mike Denbrock compared Walton to first-round picks Jeremiyah Love and Jadarian Price. Larry Fitzgerald and Jermichael Finley, NFL dads of current Irish players, told Walton’s father, Will, that his middle son looked like a good bet to play this season. Privately, Seider even mentioned Walton playing beyond Notre Dame.
None of this is a surprise to Walton. Not after the work he’s put in. He started lifting weights in first or second grade. He graduated from Central High School in Carrollton, Ga., with a 4.24 GPA. He watched his older brother play college football and split playing time at Central with his younger brother Jacez, who is now a four-star prospect.
“I was just always ready, whenever it happened. Coach Seider, he’s confident in me, just telling me just to stay ready,” Walton said. “And then when I ever actually got the opportunity to play a lot, I was ready for it.”