Biaggio Ali Walsh, Muhammad Ali’s grandson, is making a name for himself

THERE is no pressure quite like being the supremely talented grandson of the greatest athlete of all time.

IT TURNS out Snoop Dogg is not the most famous family connection at Las Vegas high school football team Bishop Gorman.

Sure, Snoop’s son Cordell Broadus might have received all the recent headlines since graduating from the school’s football program before throwing away his athletic scholarship with University of California, Los Angeles, but there’s a much bigger name now part of the Nevada top-ranked school’s football family.

There is no bigger name in sport than Muhammad Ali and it’s the reason such massive things are expected of Bishop Gorman rising star running back Biaggio Ali Walsh.

The grandson of the Greatest Ever is already making a name for himself as a future NFL star, despite not graduating high school until 2017.

The 17-year-old has already started receiving informal offers from US colleges.

Here’s why.

Walsh, who is the son of Ali’s daughter Rashida, is one of the main reasons his high school is considered the best in the United States right now after making a perfect 13-0 start to the season.

His stats are astounding.

The 1.8m, 84kg, speedster has 1,914 rushing yards and 27 total touchdowns this season with an average of 12.8 yards per carry.

He might not be so quick that defenders can’t tackle what their eyes can’t see, but Walsh is fast enough to be used as both a running back and wide receiver.

Surprisingly, he told Bleacher Report the pressure of stepping out of the shadow of the greatest athlete we’ve ever seen isn’t much of a problem.

“I don’t want people to think, ‘Oh, he’s getting all of this because of his name,’” he said.

“It just makes me want to prove myself, that I’m actually good at the sport, rather than just because of who I’m related to.”

247Sports.com ranks him as one of the best 10 all-purpose running backs in the USA.

Walsh is trying to stay grounded despite admitting to some incredibly high goals.

“I’m proud of myself and how I’m doing this season,” Ali Walsh told todaysu.com.

“I feel like everything I worked with in the offseason is really paying off. I’m proud of myself and I’m not going to let down at all.

The Greatest and the grandson.

“I would describe myself as an all-purpose back. I feel like I can catch rather than just run. I feel like I’m a speedy back and if you need me on the outside on stretch plays, I’m good for things like that.

“I feel like I’m good up the middle. If I get a little window, then I hit it as fast as I can.”

He admits to receiving interest from Colleges already and he’s only going to become a hotter commodity after this season.

“Right now I haven’t really talked to that many colleges, just by direct messaging on Twitter and whatnot,” he said.

“I am expecting for more of that to happen during the offseason and after the season. Maybe because it’s during the season there isn’t that much recruiting going on, but hopefully after the season I pick up some offers.”

He told maxpreps.com when his high school career began that he has the full support of his grandfather.

He said he continues to have regular contact with Ali via Skype and often discusses how he played with the greatest athlete of all time after games.

“He always tells me how proud he is of me,” Biaggio said of the man he calls “Papi”.

“That makes me feel happy and strong.”

Wisdom isn’t the only thing Ali has passed onto his grandson.

Walsh has the same lighting speed.

The most iconic image in sport.

Earlier this year, it was reported Walsh recorded a 40-yard dash time of 4.38 seconds.

At the 2015 NFL draft combine, Arizona Cardinals running back J.J. Nelson recorded the quickest time with 4.28 seconds. Walsh was 16 years old when his time was recorded.

Even before he played a game as a Freshman, scouts saw Walsh’s raw speed.

“He’s a phenomenal football player,” Bishop Gorman freshman coach Rob Burgman told maxpreps.com.

“He’s got as much skill and works as hard as any football player I’ve ever had in 34 years of coaching. And I thought that before I knew who his grandfather was.”

Bishop Gorman offensive line coach Sean Manuel also declared earlier this year that Walsh is one of the fastest kids in America.

“At running back when you have top-end speed it separates you to the elite category in the country,” Manuel told Bleacher Report.

“That’s what Biaggio has. He has one play breakaway speed, he has game-changing speed.

“Biaggio is one of the fastest kids in the country.”

Unfortunately, it remains impossible to discuss Walsh without mentioning his famous relative.

Ali is after all considered the greatest athlete that has ever been.

The 73-year-old, formerly known as Cassius Clay, was crowned the Sports Illustrated Sportsman of the Century for the 20th century and named the BBC’s Sports Personality of the Century.

Originally published as Biaggio Ali Walsh, Muhammad Ali’s grandson, is making a name for himself