The Notre Dame football team is among the Top 10 teams in the running for one of the best tailbacks in the 2026 class.
Jonaz Walton recently announced the 10 teams that he’s looking at as he enters the next stage of his recruitment. That means that while the Fighting Irish are in the running, they still have quite a bit of work to do.
In addition to the Notre Dame football Walton named Florida, Auburn, Florida State, Miami, Georgia, Oregon, Alabama, Tennessee and Stanford. That Stanford and the Irish are on that list should tell you all you need to know about this prospect. Walton is not only one of the more talented running backs in the country but he’s got the grades to get in just about anywhere.
Where’s 🏡? https://t.co/ULAACsB9Q1
— Jonaz Walton (@JonazWalton) February 16, 2025
Notre Dame football among the contenders for talented running back Jonaz Walton
Walton is a consensus 4-star running back in the 2026 class out of Central High school in Carrollton, Georgia. Depending on the site, he’s ranked anywhere from the fourth-best running back in the class to 15th and is considered among the best players in the state by anyone covering him. As far as total class rank, On3 is the highest on him as they have him at the No. 58 player overall, while Rivals has him ranked the lowest at 178th.
The running back has been incredibly productive since his first high school snaps, rushing for 1,644 yards and 20 touchdowns in his freshman 2022 season. He’s never run for less than 1,300 yards in a season and topped 10 TDs every campaign, according to MaxPreps.
The next step for Notre Dame football will be finding a way to get Walton to commit to an official visit. It won’t be his first time in South Bend if he does decide to do it. The 4-star running back was in town for Junior Day on January 25.