2026 DL Malik Brooks Fired Up To Hear From Notre Dame

Malik Brooks‍ heard from Notre Dame defensive coordinator Al Golden and defensive line coach Al Washington around midnight on June 15th…his time.

That means the Irish assistants were up very late - or very early depending on how you look at it - on the first day they could directly reach out to the 2026 California defensive lineman.

“It was a once-in-a-lifetime experience,” said Brooks, who landed an offer from the Irish back in May.

“I never thought Notre Dame would reach out. I was happy that they reached out to me too.”

The message from the Irish was that things were about to ramp up in a major way.

“They were saying, 'It's your time. It's your turn. Cherish this moment,’” Brooks recalled. “‘It's going to be the only time really in your life that you're going to have a moment like this.'”

The St. Pius X-St. Matthias Academy star has been impressed with the coaches so far.

“They come off as good men,” he said. “I love Coach Washington. That's a great man. He checks up on me. He's just a good man.”

Brooks’ offer sheet also includes schools like USC, UCLA, Georgia and Alabama among others. 

The 6-foot-5, 320-pounder is hoping to make his way to South Bend soon

“Sometime this summer, I want to try to at least get out there, tour the camp on a visit,” he said. 

“I want to learn about the culture of Notre Dame. How Notre Dame football has come along over the years. How the school came along over the years.”

He’s been interested in the Irish since he landed the offer.

“I always looked at Notre Dame as a big defensive school, so that's what has always had me interested in Notre Dame,” he said. 

He was able to check out some in-state schools recently.

“I went to UCLA and USC,” he said. “That's right down the road. Those were really the only ones I've been to so far along with San Diego State too.

“They were very, very good. I loved them.”

He doesn’t have any other visits lined up at the moment, but is also hoping to make it down to Florida, Alabama and Georgia in the future.

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