Parents of Travon Walker talk about the long road from recruit to College Football Championship

ATLANTA - Travon Walker was the nation's No. 7 high school prospect. The Upson-Lee High School athlete committed to Georgia back in July 2018 live on FOX 5.

The 6-5, 272-pound defensive lineman has had a long road from Georgia Bulldogs recruit to College Football Championship in that short time. 

And behind it all were his parents Stead and Lasonia Walker — high school sweethearts who grew up in Thomaston and have raised Travon and his two sisters there.

A big part of Travon Walker's upbringing was his dad's military background.

"I'm proud of being a Marine, and I think he's proud that I'm a Marine also," Stead Walker told FOX 5 Sports. "He has some of the Marine Corps traits in him also: An early-morning person, organization with things."

The couple talked at length about the pride they had for their son both on and off the field as he prepares for one of the biggest games of his life. 

The two drove to the Orange Bowl in Miami from Upson County, and they plan to drive up to chilly Indianapolis for Monday night's national championship contest.

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Lasonia Walker said she will probably have butterflies when she watches her son takes the field.

"I'm confident, but I'm going to still be nervous because that's my baby," she said.

Winning is nothing new for Walker, though; he was part of an Upson-Lee High School basketball team that put together back-to-back undefeated seasons and state championships.

"The experience from knowing what it's like to win and have that feeling to wanting to go back and have that feeling again, it just makes you drive more."