The Final Cockdown: #28, Jonathan Walton

Jonathan Walton

Junior, Linebacker
6'0'' / 228 lbs
Daphne, AL (Bayside Academy)

Recruitment
consensus three-star recruit, nation's 52nd-best inside linebacker

Other major offers
Auburn, Tennessee, Clemson, Penn State, among others.

College Career
As a true freshman, Walton notched eight tackles, mostly on special teams. He also saw the field at linebacker in mop-up duty. Last year, playing behind Skai Moore on the depth chart, Walton saw action in all thirteen games, earning a starting spot for the final six contests. He finished with the third-most tackles (61), including 38 in the final five games of the season. Awarded most-improved linebacker of the season, as well as most-improved defensive sophomore.

Jonathan Walton lowers the boom in the 3rd quarter. #Gamecocks gif by @JeffTynerGC pic.twitter.com/HBzV2S0BGe

— GamecockCentral.com (@GamecockCentral) September 21, 2014

2015 Outlook
Jonathan Walton's steady improvement on the field last year, culminating in huge performances against Florida and Miami, and his performances thus far through spring ball have the staff here at GABA looking for Walton to have a very big year for the Gamecocks. He's been the most improved linebacker for two consecutive years now, and the decision to move Skai Moore to the 'Mike' LB and Walton to the 'Will' LB positions proved extremely effective in the last few games of the season. Slated as the prohibitive favorite to start this year at the WILL position (ahead of Bryson Allen-Williams), Jonathan Walton will be playing a big role as the Gamecocks' defense tries to put the pieces back together.

Trivia

Jonathan Walton was the first player to ever sign with a Division I program to play football from his high school (Bayside Academy) in Alabama.