It’s been quite some time since Northwestern has seen a star of this caliber.
To his coaches, he’s a dream. To his teammates, a goofball. To scouts, a top-tier physical specimen. To Northwestern’s marketing department, he’s “The Franchise.” To opposing offenses, he’s a nightmare.
But to one of his high school football coaches, he’s a beloved son.
Indeed, perhaps the most revealing aspect of Anthony Walker Jr.’s story isn’t his rise from three-star recruit to All-American and potential first-round NFL draft choice—a narrative heard quite often in sports. It’s the story of a father and son whose special bond has facilitated Walker Jr.