Walton’s sophomore sensation Alexander Ward is always on the move. Whether he is actively patrolling the defensive secondary, making highlight plays on special teams, or scoring touchdowns at receiver, the class of ’27 athlete is creating the action on the field.
There was no better example than last Friday’s game against Lambert. The sophomore lined up at cornerback with his team backed up into the red zone looking for a defensive stop. Ward baited the QB to throw the ball toward the endzone, jumped the route to pick off the pass, and then used his elite speed to burn the pursuit for a thrilling 99-yard touchdown.
Ward is a new transfer coming over from Carrollton, but there is no wonder why dynamic touchdowns like the other night have created so much excitement within the Walton community.
“Sophomore year is going great, new team new coaches better opportunity to show everyone what I can do,” Ward said.
When talking about goals for the remainder of the season, Ward aggressively outlined where he wants the team and individually.
“My personal goal is to break the record for receiving yards, over 15 PBUs, over 10 picks, over 5 kick returns/punt returns, and 2,000 all-purpose yards. My team goal is to win the regional and win the finisher.”
A season like that would go down in the Walton record books as one of the greatest seasons in school history, let alone for a sophomore. You would have to dial back the clock to over 15 years ago when Brandon Burroughs was impacting the Raiders as an underclassman.
In the last year, Ward has taken a jump in skill level. Going from a freshman prospect to a true impact player at the varsity level is no easy progression in this highly competitive state, so we asked about where he has improved the most since.
“I most improved in just football IQ and knowing what coverages people run and knowing what routes people are going to run from alignment,” he said.
Receiving specialized training from former All-Pro defensive back Joshua Norman throughout the offseason certainly helps too.
On the recruiting front, Ward has seen recent offers from Auburn and UCF along with a steady stream of programs offered during last spring’s evaluation period.
“Recruiting is going great right now; just taking it one day at a time and focusing on getting better. I’m going on a lot of visits this fall,” he said.
When you are coveted like Ward, taking your recruitment slow is a luxury that most college prospects never experience, but that opportunity creates additional pressure. Much like his on-the-field play, we are sure Ward will continue to rise to the occasion and be a recruit to watch closely in the coming years, so be sure to follow @RecruitGeorgia on Twitter/X to hear the latest on the sensational sophomore and athletes all across the Peach State.
