{
  "id": 280126,
  "title": "Could Jonaz Walton be the next great Notre Dame football running back?",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/07/could-jonaz-walton-be-the-next-great-notre-dame-football-running-back",
  "topic": "culture",
  "section": "Culture",
  "published": "2026-08-07T20:51:52.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Yahoo Sports",
    "slug": "yahoo-sports",
    "url": "https://sports.yahoo.com/articles/could-jonaz-walton-next-great-205152951.html"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "SOUTH BEND — Freshman running back Jonaz Walton for Notre Dame football is being heralded as a potential game-changer. Irish running backs coach Ja'Juan Seider has pledged that Walton is not only competing to play but is already surpassing expectations. \"Jonaz is competing to play; I'm going to put that out there,\" Seider declared after the second practice of fall camp. The new rule, dubbed \"Five for Five,\" has eliminated the concept of redshirting, meaning Walton can potentially play starting from this season. The Irish roster currently boasts Walton, Nolan James Jr., Aneyas Williams, Nolan James Jr., Kedren Young, and Javian Osborne, all vying for starting positions. At 5-foot-9 and 214 pounds, Walton has already demonstrated his commitment and dedication to the team. Middle linebacker Drayk Bowen praised Walton’s gradual progress in the weight room, while Seider mentioned Walton's exceptional speed and power. The freshman has aspirations to pursue a career in software engineering post-football and has described himself as \"The Nerd\" among his teammates. With the anticipation of Notre Dame being favored in their first half of the season, Walton has opportunities to shine. Seider expressed confidence in Walton's potential longevity in the sport, stating that he has a chance to play for a long time.",
  "summary": "While Javian Osborne is still catching up after wrist surgery, fellow Notre Dame freshman running back Jonaz Walton keeps gaining on the competition.",
  "key_points": [
    "Freshman Jonaz Walton excelling at Notre Dame football.",
    "\"Five for Five\" rule eliminates redshirting for Walton.",
    "Walton aims for software engineering career post-football."
  ],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": "https://urgent.news/ill/280126.png",
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}