Blue & Gold Illustrated: America's Foremost Authority on Notre Dame Football
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www.BLUEANDGOLD.com MAY 2021 31 BY MIKE SINGER In one sense, it wasn't a shock to see Ponchatoula (La.) High class of 2022 wide receiver Amorion Walker commit to Notre Dame. The Fighting Irish staff put in plenty of work to recruit the 6-3, 170-pounder. But in another sense, it was a sur- prise. Walker had never visited cam- pus and wasn't viewed by pundits as a top receiver target for the Irish. That is far from the truth, though. Walker received an offer from Notre Dame on Nov. 6, 2020 from former safeties coach Terry Joseph, who has since taken a position on the Texas Longhorns staff. After Joseph's departure, it would have been easy for Notre Dame to stop recruiting Walker. Interestingly enough, Joseph's cousin, Vance Joseph, had a con- nection with Walker's uncle, Reggie Walker, serving as the linebacker 's defensive coordinator with the Ari- zona Cardinals last season. But the loss of Joseph didn't ultimately affect Notre Dame's chances with Walker. The pitch of high academics and ath- letics was music to Walker 's ears, and the opportunity to leave Louisi- ana and experience something new was appealing to him as well. "My family has never been scared about me getting out of state and going far from home," Walker said. "It doesn't get any better than Notre Dame." Offensive coordinator Tommy Rees and wide receivers coach Del Alexan- der led the charge for the Irish. "I love the coaching staff and the connections we made," Walker said. "They really took their time to get to know me. They have big-time foot- ball and academics there. I wanted to be the first receiver on the board and help lead the class. I really believe in that. "Coach Alexander tells me that Notre Dame is a great fit for me. He likes what I can do on the field. It's big-time football, which I want to play. All I have to do is get there and work." Walker gave his pledge to Irish head coach Brian Kelly and the staff on March 9, and announced his news on social media the following morning. "It was like we had a virtual party going on," Walker said about the mo- ment he informed the coaches of his decision. Walker registered 25 catches for 490 yards and two touchdowns dur- ing his sophomore season. In three games as a junior, Walker caught eight passes for 80 yards and two touchdowns. "Walker shows the ability to take the top off of opposing defense," Rivals national recruiting analyst Sam Spiegelman said. "He's a long- strider with good downfield speed, is long and presents a big target for his quarterbacks." Walker trains at Albert Brock's Elite Sports Training with Logan Diggs, a fellow Louisiana native and Notre Dame running back signee in the 2021 class. "I'm excited, very excited," Walker said of teaming up with Diggs at the next level. "Logan is a great player from the same area. They got a steal with him, just like I feel like they got a steal with me." If Walker does indeed stick with Notre Dame and signs this Decem- ber with the Irish, he will give the pro- gram back-to-back recruiting classes with a signee from L o u i s i a n a . T h e only other player on Notre Dame's roster from Louisi- ana is rising senior wide receiver Law- rence Keys III, who also hails from the New Orleans area. Holding on to Walker won't be easy, though. He only played in three games during his junior season due to injury, so more schools could jump into the mix as more film becomes available on him as a senior. Walker picked up an offer from Arizona State a couple weeks after his pledge to Notre Dame. Rivals ranks Walker as a three-star recruit. He also holds offers from Arkansas, Florida State, Georgia Tech, Indiana, Kansas State, Ole Miss, Mississippi State, Virginia Tech, Washington State and West Virginia. Walker is the Irish's first receiver commit of the 2022 class and plans to enroll early at Notre Dame. ✦ COMMITMENT PROFILE AMORION WALKER Fighting Irish Land Speedy Pass Catcher From Louisiana Walker was originally recruited by former safeties coach Terry Joseph, but after he left for a job at Texas, offensive coordinator Tommy Rees and wide receivers coach Del Alexander closed the deal. PHOTO COURTESY RIVALS.COM FILM ANALYSIS "Walker is coming on strong to become one of the more heavily recruited wide receiver prospects in the Southwest. He is a limber and athletic pass catcher with a wide catching radius, a good vertical and surprising speed." — Prep Football Report recruiting analyst Tom Lemming "My family has never been scared about me getting out of state and going far from home. It doesn't get any better than Notre Dame." WALKER