Trainer | 2026 Notre Dame DL Target Alister Vallejo Has Worked For It All

For years, Alister Vallejo‍ has put in the work.

And while it may seem like it’s all paying off now, in reality, the fact that the 2026 Texas defensive lineman has proven he will continue that work is a major reason why several schools were chasing him before he narrowed his list to three; Notre Dame, Michigan and Kansas.

The Liberty Hill High School star arrived in South Bend on Sunday evening for his first-ever trip to Notre Dame, a visit that looms large in advance of Vallejo’s scheduled college announcement next Wednesday.

The Irish have been putting in plenty of work recruiting the 6-foot-3, 300-pounder over the past few months, but that’s nothing compared to what Vallejo has been doing to put himself in this position over the past several years.

“It's just his work ethic,” Carlos Chester says, when asked what makes Vallejo special.

Chester is the Owner and Lead Enhancement Trainer at Nine 0 Elite, a group that specializes in producing linemen.

“Him continuing to push to get better,” Chester continues about Vallejo. “He loves to surpass his peers and kind of always pushes his peers to work harder. He's just dedicated to his craft.”

Chester has been working with the 2026 Texas defensive lineman since Vallejo was in fifth grade. While Vallejo has always been blessed with tremendous size, Chester credits Vallejo for putting in the work to become a true national prospect. 

“He's pretty much worked to get that, as far as his speed, his strength, his technique,” says Chester. “There are a lot of things that he wasn't blessed with naturally other than his size. But he's put in the work to make him the player that he is today.”

Still, Chester could see the potential even before Vallejo reached high school. 

“I saw it probably around seventh, eighth grade,” he says. “I knew he could be great just because of his dedication. 

“I run a pretty high-end, tough program and a lot of kids don't make it through the program. He's one of the ones who stuck it out. So just seeing the intentions that he had to want to be good. He hasn't always been as quick as he is now. It's something he's worked on over the years; his footwork and coupling that with his dedication in the weight room has pretty much made him a great player.”

Chester is convinced that growth will continue in the years to come.

“His understanding of the game is great,” says Chester. “He's a great student of the game. That's going to help him out a lot at the next level as well. 

“But his potential is limitless. He still has room to grow as far as technique and just learning the next level of play. I think the only thing that he'll have to adjust to coming in is just the different speed of the game. As far as his growth, it's limitless.”

Chester, who also trains Irish defensive line commit Tiki Hola‍, is already working to get both ready for college.

“We always prepare for the next level. We never prepared for where he was currently. These kids are definitely coming in out of high school, being able to be plug-and-play kids as soon as they touch campus.”

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