Ace Alston has been staying in touch with college coaches this summer.
“I'm blessed to have all these coaches trying to recruit me,” the 2027 Ohio cornerback told Irish Sports Daily. “I've just been working, trying to better myself every day.”
Notre Dame is one of those schools he’s kept in touch with, staying connected with defensive backs assistant Jevaugh Codlin, secondary coach Mike Mickens and head coach Marcus Freeman, who reached out this week to make sure Alston had his number.
“It felt great,” Alston said of being contacted by Freeman directly. “I was surprised to see the text and I was just happy to hear from him. I'm just looking forward to keeping in contact with him and building this relationship.”
Notre Dame has made a tremendous impression on Alston, who has made multiple trips to South Bend already.
“I love it,” he said. “Every time I go down to Notre Dame, they make it feel like it's home there. I love everything they're about and what the program's about.
“I love the brotherhood and I love how Coach Freeman speaks about life after football all the time. That's what I really look for in a coach. I love football and I'm going to put my all into the game of football, but after football, I'm looking for a plan. I feel like Notre Dame is a great school that can help me with that.”
Alston’s offer sheet currently includes schools like Notre Dame, Ohio State, Michigan, LSU, Texas A&M, USC, UCLA and Oregon among many others.
He’s looking forward to returning to South Bend in the fall.
“I'm definitely going to be getting back for a game,” the 5-foot–11, 175-pounder said. “I'm still trying to figure out what game I'm putting on the schedule, but I'm definitely going to get back there for a game.
“I’ve really seen everything the few times that I've been down there, but I do want to go back to the Grotto and say a prayer. I always look forward to talking with Coach Freeman one-on-one. Just picking up any knowledge from Coach Mickens is great and just building that relationship with all those coaches on the coaching staff.”
He’s planning a busy fall.
“I think I'm going to go to a lot of games,” he said. “I think I'm going to go to LSU. I'm going to go to Tennessee. Obviously, I'm going to Notre Dame. Missouri, Penn State. I'll definitely be at a USC and UCLA game. I'm going to try to make a Oregon game too and also Indiana.”
As he said, he’ll be considering more than football when it comes time to choose a college.
“Life after football is one of my main goals,” he said. “I would like to put myself in a position to go to a great school that can help me succeed with that goal. But trying to win a national championship is also a great big goal for me.
“I'm trying to obviously go to a school that can help me do that and help me better myself on the field and off the field as a man. I feel like the schools that I'm talking to, they can help me with that. I think I'm just going to keep talking and enjoy this recruiting process and just go from there.”
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