Blue & Gold Illustrated: America's Foremost Authority on Notre Dame Football
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PREP PROFILES A relative of one of the most famous athletes in sports history has a couple of connections to Notre Dame. Biaggio Ali- Walsh — the grandson of boxing legend Muhammad Ali — played football at Las Vegas Bishop Gorman High with Irish freshmen Nicco Fertitta and Alizé Jones. "Nicco tells me that they talk about me over there, and they do have my name over there," Ali-Walsh said. "He wasn't that specific, but he did tell me they are watching me. "Alizé is one of my really good friends, along with Nicco. We're a close group. Over the summer, Nicco and Alizé were in town. We were all sitting down talking about college, and they gave me good advice about how cool Notre Dame is. "They're both like big brothers to me. They give me advice not just about col- lege, but football too." Colleges are recruiting Ali-Walsh as an all-purpose running back, but he also has the potential to play slot receiver on the next level. He camped at Notre Dame in June for three days, a trip that also included a follow-up tour around campus. "It made me realize how nice the school and everything was," Ali-Walsh said of his time in South Bend. "It was great. I talked with the running backs coach, Autry Denson, and he said he'd be watching this year for sure. I told him I hope I give him some good stuff to look at." The junior holds a different outlook on his famous grand- father than most people. He appreci- ates all of Ali's ac- complishments, but also views him in a unique personal light. "I look at him as family," Ali-Walsh said. "But when I look at it from an outside perspective, I understand he's a legend, so I look up to him. Knowing that he's in my blood, it's an honor." At this stage in his recruitment, the three-star running back holds offers only from Louisville and UNLV. But should the Irish choose to ramp up their recruitment, they have a big advantage in the quality of a Notre Dame degree. "The main thing for me is education," Ali-Walsh said. "I want to major in busi- ness, and for me that comes before ath- letics." Through his first seven games this season at Bishop Gorman, Ali-Walsh had rushed for 1,005 yards and 13 touch- downs on 95 carries. — Jordan Wells Boxing Legend's Grandson Is Connected To Irish BIAGGIO ALI-WALSH ✪ ✪ ✪ Bishop Gorman High School Las Vegas Status: Interest Class: 2017 Position: Running Back Ht.: 5-11 • Wt.: 185 Rivals Rankings: No. 7 player in Nevada