2026 DL Alister Vallejo Impressed by Notre Dame Culture During First Visit
Alister Vallejo has been a priority for Notre Dame over the past two months, and earlier this week, the 2026 Liberty Hill (Texas) defensive lineman made his first trip to South Bend.
Since receiving his offer in April, the 6-foot-3, 310-pounder had done his research on the Irish program and after experiencing it in person, the visit lived up to expectations.
“I’d say the culture and the uniformity,” Vallejo said of what stood out. “Everything goes together and works hand in hand. It was really phenomenal. It was a cool sight to see.”
Outside of football, Notre Dame made sure to show Vallejo how they set student-athletes up for success off the field, regardless of sport.
“The way everything goes hand in hand is cool,” explained Vallejo. “They all support one another. It was nice to see how seriously they take academics, football and all the way down to the swim team. It’s all supported and they stick together.”
Vallejo also met head coach Marcus Freeman for the first time. Freeman didn’t deliver a flashy sales pitch, but rather substance and explained the importance of Notre Dame’s culture.
“It was good,” stated Vallejo. “I liked his perspective on the way things are run there. They don’t really care about glimmer and glam. They care about you and how you perform.”
Defensive line coach Al Washington made multiple trips to Texas to see Vallejo last month and he was able to dive into his development plan for the four-star prospect.
“Coach Washington’s main thing was about how I’d be developed there and how everything would be set around my success - and not just my success, but the people around me,” said Vallejo.
The visit didn’t come with many surprises, as the Irish staff had thoroughly outlined what to expect.
“It’s really as advertised,” stated Vallejo. “You can get an Ivy League education and be in a rich, cultured program. The culture and how they show it really shows.”
The Texas native has also seen Notre Dame’s strong recruiting presence in the Lone Star State, but it wouldn’t factor into his decision either way.
“It’s not really a big factor to me,” Vallejo said. “It’s nice to have someone who can relate to what you’re going through and where you’re from, but I’m not going to go there if they don’t, or I’m only going to go there if they do. It’s nice, but not required.”
Vallejo will make his commitment on June 10 and Notre Dame gave him plenty to think about over the next few days.
“It’s definitely going to be a tough decision for me,” said Vallejo. “It’s really a choice for my future, so it’s going to be a difficult decision no matter where I pick. I feel like it was a great thing I was able to make the trip up.”
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