2027 DT Tyler Alexander Excited To Learn More About Notre Dame

Tyler Alexander's recruitment has largely come down to relationships.

That's why Georgia, Texas, Colorado and Notre Dame have separated themselves from the pack.

The 2027 Florida defensive tackle will get a closer look at one of those contenders this weekend when he returns to South Bend for his official visit with the Irish.

The Palm Beach Central standout has already taken official visits to Colorado and Georgia and still has Texas remaining later this month. Notre Dame will get its turn this weekend as Alexander continues working toward a decision he expects to make sometime during the first half of July.

"It sounds repetitive, but I'm really big on relationships," Alexander told Irish Sports Daily.

That emphasis on relationships is one of the primary reasons Notre Dame has made such a strong push over the past several months.

New Irish defensive line coach Charlie Partridge has been at the center of those efforts.

"First off, he's a great coach," Alexander said. "If you look at what he's done in college and at Pitt and when he was in the NFL for that period of time, he was doing good. He has a good track record.

"The relationship he's been building with me has been great. He checks in on me, sees how I'm doing, tells me what he's doing and I tell him what I'm doing."

Partridge's Florida roots have only strengthened that connection.

In fact, Alexander believes the Florida influence throughout Notre Dame's program is one of the things that makes the Irish stand out.

"It kind of feels like a second Florida," Alexander explained. "Not like Florida or Florida State, the state of Florida. Half the coaching staff is from Florida. A lot of the players are from Florida. The d-line coach is from Florida. It's relatable there, I guess."

Alexander already has some familiarity with Notre Dame after visiting South Bend for the Blue-Gold Game this spring, a trip that exceeded expectations according to his high school coach Kevin Thompson.

This weekend, however, the focus will be different.

Rather than evaluating the campus and atmosphere, Alexander wants a deeper understanding of how Notre Dame develops defensive linemen and how he would fit into the scheme.

"I already told Coach Partridge I just want to watch film," Alexander said. "I want to see how their scheme is. I want to see what they do, how their scheme works and if their players are doing good and winning in that scheme."

That same evaluation process has shaped his view of the other finalists.

Alexander spoke highly of Georgia defensive line coach Tray Scott, Texas defensive line coach Kenny Baker and Colorado defensive line coaches Dante Carter and Kenny Ingram, consistently returning to the same themes: comfort, trust and development.

Alexander isn't ready to name a true leader, although he acknowledged one school currently holds a slight edge.

"If I had to pick a leader, it would probably be Georgia," he said. "Like one percent higher than the rest of the schools. Everybody else is like 24 percent, 24 percent, 24 percent and Georgia is like 26 percent."

The percentages may be close, but Notre Dame has positioned itself firmly in that top group. Now the Irish will have one more opportunity to show Alexander why they should be the program sitting at the top when decision time arrives next month.

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