Fresno State’s Brayden Walton Stands Tall, on the Field and While Fishing

Brayden Walton gets looks wherever he goes. He’s hard to miss at 6 feet, 7 7/8 inches tall.

He recently went to Disneyland. Amazed parkgoers kept asking about his height.

“I couldn’t fit on Space Mountain,” Walton said. “It was a lovely time trying to get the bar over my knees.”

Walton is Fresno State’s hulking left tackle, heading into his second year. Under the team’s policy, he was not allowed to talk to the media as a freshman. Now, the Clovis native can speak his mind.

A Fishy Diet

Listed at 325 pounds, Walton said he has dropped weight.

“I struggled with being heavier. I was able to move people a little bit in our run-heavy offense last year. This year we’re trying to make it a little more dynamic, so I lost 15 pounds and we’re getting ready to go,” Walton said.

Head coach Matt Entz noticed.

“He has really worked hard at his health. He looks great, 315 pounds. He’s lighter, stronger than he’s ever been,” Entz said.

Part of his diet includes frequent visits to Butterfish.

“I’m a big Butterfish guy. I go there about four times a week. It might be an addiction at this point. Big ahi tuna with some rice — that’s about it. About 5,000 calories a day. It keeps me going,” Walton said, perhaps feeling out a new NIL deal.

Not only does Walton like to eat fish, he also likes to catch his own.

“It’s my favorite thing to do. It’s how I relax. I have a lot of guys asking me to take them, but I haven’t done it much yet. I’ve taken a couple, but I like to be out there alone,” Walton said.

Fishing since he was 3, Walton likes going up to Shaver Lake and put one of the Sierra lake’s featured species, kokanee, on his stringer.

“I like the thrill of hooking a fish,” Walton said.

Playing and Staying at Fresno State

Walton missed one game because of a knee injury last year, a ligament sprain suffered during the Hawai’i game.

The Buchanan High School grad had other offers, committing to Washington State before flipping to the Bulldogs. He stayed after the recent transfer portal season.

“I’m really glad I came. It was just where I wanted to go and really had a family aspect,” Walton said about his decision to switch to Fresno State and stay.

Walton entered school early last year. He said that helped him control his weight and prepare to start as a freshman. The competition came quickly.

“There are some people who can play. They don’t care about you, and they want to run through you. But you also learn that it’s really fun,” Walton said.

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