Notre Dame eyeing a potential defensive line flip, but the odds aren’t in their favor right now despite constant communication originally appeared on A to Z Sports.
When Notre Dame football gained a commitment from 2026 Sarasota (Fla.) Cardinal Mooney defensive tackle Elijah Golden last week, that seemingly solidified a tremendous defensive line class for the Fighting Irish. Along with five-star pass rusher Rodney Dunham, toolsy defensive end Ebenezer Ewetade, and Texas run stopper Tiki Hola, that is one heck of a class for Al Washington to work with. You also have a very balanced group.
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Head coach Marcus Freeman and his staff could stop at those four, and be in a great spot. It does appear, however, that they are keeping options open to potentially add to the group down the line. If Irish fans remember, there was a strong push for Liberty Hill (Texas) High School defensive tackle Alister Vallejo earlier this offseason, but he instead opted for the Michigan Wolverines.
Since that decision was made back on June 10th, Notre Dame has been keeping close contact. They aren’t the only school either, including Miami who offered Vallejo in July. While the Texas native is currently firm in his commitment, he hasn’t told the Irish staff to stop reaching out, so he’s still listening at least.
If the Fighting Irish are able to convince Vallejo to visit sometime this season, keep a close eye on a potential flip happening. He hasn’t made that type of decision yet, but Notre Dame is trying their best to make it happen early on in the season.
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As of now, it is unlikely that Vallejo does flip, but that certainly won’t stop teams from trying. If Notre Dame comes out on fire this season, and Michigan struggles again, I wouldn’t be shocked to see some movement happen. It all depends on whether Notre Dame continues their strong effort, and Vallejo continues to listen.
When Notre Dame initially offered Vallejo back in April, none of the major recruiting platforms had even had him rated yet. His rankings have been trending upward over the last several months, ranked as at least a three-star by every major recruiting platform. 247Sports is especially high on Vallejo, currently ranking him as a four-star player. He sits as the No. 210 overall player, No. 34 defensive lineman, and No. 31 player in the state of Texas in the 2026 recruiting class.
His offer list had expanded exponentially leading into his decision, and that has continued. Some of his top offers on his list include the Fighting Irish, Michigan, Ole Miss, Miami, Oklahoma State, SMU, Kansas, Oregon State, Cal, Houston, Memphis, and Sacramento State. Even after Vallejo made his decision, other programs have continued to snoop around.
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The 6-3, 310-pound defensive tackle is coming off of an outstanding season for Liberty Hill as a junior. In 11 total games, Vallejo managed to record 51 total tackles, nine tackles for loss, and seven sacks. He also posted another 16 quarterback hurries and four blocked kicks. Vallejo carried a modest recruiting profile until this offseason, but he continues to climb the rankings the more attention he gets this offseason.
This story was originally reported by A to Z Sports on Aug 15, 2025, where it first appeared.
