Running Back DeZephen Walker Considers Notre Dame a Top Contender in His Recruitment

Notre Dame has been on a serious hot streak in recruiting lately, and they are looking to continue that momentum. One prospect they have been pushing to land is Raymore (Mo.) Raymore-Peculiar running back DeZephen Walker. The talented ball-carrier made it to campus for in April for the Blue-Gold game, and hosted Ju’Juan Seider this past week for an in-home visit.

The 5-10, 180-pound back has the kind of game that jumps off the screen. Walker is a smooth, efficient runner who combines great vision with sharp cutting ability. He’s also a natural pass-catcher out of the backfield and brings enough top-end speed to score from anywhere on the field. That versatile, every-down profile is exactly what the Notre Dame staff is looking for — and they’ve made sure Walker knows it.

Walker made the trip to South Bend for the spring game in April, accompanied by his father, and came away impressed with both the football and the overall atmosphere.

“The ND visit… I went with my dad. They got us in the hotel — it was nice!” Walker told Irish Breakdown. “Then we went to the facility, practice, team meetings, position meetings, and we got to tour the new facility and everything was great. Everything was high class. They got after it at practice, and overall it was a great day for us. The second day we went to the Spring Game, which was cool.”

During the visit, Walker had the chance to connect with both head coach Marcus Freeman and Seider, who made it clear that he’s a priority target for the program.

“Both Seider and Freeman told me that I was a top prospect and they really want to land me because of how I would fit in the scheme and offense,” Walker said. “We talked about how Jeremiyah Love is from Missouri too. They see me as an every-down back, and they really like my size and speed. They told me that I can come in as a freshman and do great things.”

Coach Seider followed up the trip with a personal in-home visit this week, focusing more on building a relationship beyond football.

“He was at my home yesterday,” Walker said. “The conversation went well. He was just going over the basics of Notre Dame and everything they can do for me as a student-athlete. He was also trying to get to know my family. When I was on campus we talked about football, but when Seider came to visit, we really just talked about each other’s family.”

That kind of personal approach seems to have made an impact. While Walker hasn’t released a formal top schools list just yet, he made it clear that Notre Dame is in the thick of it.

“Notre Dame is a top contender for me. Top 3 range. I don’t have a list finalized or anything, but they’re definitely a top contender.”

Walker already has plans to return to South Bend for an official visit scheduled for June 12–13, and a final decision is expected sometime between June and August, after he wraps up all of his official visits.

In the meantime, Walker is focused on closing out his high school career the right way — not just as a player, but as a leader.

“My goal for my senior season is to be the best leader I can be on and off the field for my team,” he said. “At practice I want to be one of those top guys that can set an example for the younger guys since I’m a senior. Other than that, just make plays. I’m just looking to elevate all my stats — my YPC, receiving stats — just want to get better overall.”

As the summer heats up, Notre Dame is positioned well in this recruitment. With Seider making a strong impression and the staff emphasizing both the fit and family culture, the Irish could be tough to beat down the stretch.

Walker is rated as a four-star prospect according to On3. He holds offers from Notre Dame, Georgia, Oregon, Texas A&M, Ole Miss, Miami, Auburn, Florida, Tennessee, Missouri, Arkansas, Kansas, Kansas State, Nebraska, Oklahoma State, Iowa, Purdue, Illinois, Wisconsin, UCF, and Stanford.