Much like CJ Carr is the expected starting quarterback for Notre Dame this year, Aneyas Williams is fairly cemented in as the starting running back. Unlike Carr, there's some room for another running back to get at least some carries, and after the first few days of practice, it's clear that Jonaz Walton could be the guy who shares most of the load.
Running backs coach Ja'Juan Seider sang Walton's praises after practice on Friday. "He put himself in the thick of this. He's gonna play. I'm just telling you, I can say it right now from what that kid has done from spring to summer to what he's doing in the fall. He's a gifted kid. I think he's got a chance to play this game for a long time."
While Seider's comments addressed more of the future for the Notre Dame freshman than the present, it appears the Irish are already putting a plan in motion. When Aneyas Williams was asked about what he saw from Walton, he confirmed the freshman running back even took some snaps with the first team.
"He's gonna play. I can say it right now...He's got a chance to play this game for a long time. His football IQ & smarts, from the classroom to the football field, it's as good as I've ever been around - Notre Dame RB coach Ja'Juan Seider on Jonaz Walton pic.twitter.com/9BRn6pNvM4
— Matt Freeman (@mattfreeman05_) August 7, 2026
It's not as if Walton's talent and ability were a complete mystery. The running back had the coaches saying similar things during spring practice. He was able to get more carries earlier in the year in part because Williams spent a majority of those weeks in a no-contact jersey.
Jonaz Walton emerges as Notre Dame football’s leading RB2 candidate
Even when Williams was able to come back and play in the Blue and Gold Game, Walton was still someone who looked every bit the part of a back who could shoulder some of the load when it really counts.
He certainly showed he had gamebreaker-type talent before he got to South Bend. Walton rushed 128 times for 1,251 yards and 14 touchdowns during his 2025 senior season, while catching 33 passes for 487 yards and 4 touchdowns. He finished his four-year varsity career with 5,965 rushing yards and 70 rushing touchdowns on 695 carries, along with 99 receptions for 1,440 yards and 11 receiving touchdowns.
During the Marcus Freeman era, the Fighting Irish have long gone to at least a two-back system. Last year, it was mostly Jeremiyah Love and Jadarian Price. This year, Aneyas Williams and somebody will likely team up to be the 1-2 punch.
Certainly, Walton hasn't locked the job down yet. Kedren Young, Javian Osborne, and Nolan James Jr. will all have a say. But for now, it looks like the true freshman could be the frontrunner for the job.
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