Mississippi running back Jaylen Walton (6) looks to run past a Troy defender during the second quarter of an NCAA college football game on Saturday, Nov. 16, 2013, in Oxford, MS. Mississippi won 51-21. (AP Photo/ The Daily Mississippian, Austin McAfee)
Jaylen Walton is 5-foot-8, 166 pounds. Jaylen Walton is a Southeastern Conference running back. But, most importantly, Jaylen Walton has silenced the critics.
Entering last season, many people doubted the junior speedster from Memphis, but after putting up 523 yards on the ground and scoring six touchdowns, many doubters realized that good things can come in small packages.
“I think I have,” Walton said of silencing the doubters. “There are a lot of little backs that are 175 to 180 pounds around the country. They’ve given me motivation actually, because they are making big plays and headlines and making their team better. So I feel like I can do the same.”
Walton said there are a few guys in particular that he looks up to when it comes to smaller running backs.
“Definitely De’Anthony Thomas, Chris Rainey, Jeff Demps, Jeff Scott, Maurice Jones-Drew,” Walton said. “It’s a long line. There are a lot of little backs that I look up to that give me motivation.”
This season however, Walton may be looking for some extra motivation as he is expected to step into the starting running back role and take the majority of the carries out of the backfield with Jeff Scott graduating. Despite the starting role being the expected outcome, Walton will be competing with other guys vying for their carries as well.
“I feel like I’m just competing to make my team better,” Walton said. “It’s not necessarily the number one job, it’s just wherever my team needs me to be I’m going to try and bring momentum and make sure everyone is going towards the right direction.”
Walton also recognizes the strides some of the newer running backs have made like redshirt freshman Eugene Brazley, who missed last season with a knee injury, and redshirt freshman Jordan Wilkins, who continually impressed coaches last season on the scout team.
“They have come along really well,” Walton said. “They’re just trying to learn the system. Their athletic ability is good. Both are great running backs. They run hard and know what they have to do to get yards and to protect the ball. They’ll be fine.”
Last season, Walton played in every game, getting seven starts at running back, and was also the team’s leading kick returner. Expect to see Ole Miss trying to get him the ball in hopes of an explosive play.
“Definitely going to try and find ways to get me mismatches,” Walton said of how he expects to be used next season. “Looking for ways to get me the football in open space, handoffs and passes out of the backfield or in the return game. I’m just here to make my team better.”
With it being the offseason, Walton has had time to work on some things and he feels his biggest improvement is commitment.
“I feel like I’ve gotten more committed,” he said. “I put all the distractions to the side, the off the field issues, and I’m pretty much focused on just school and football right now.”
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