Wolverine Digest

Alister Vallejo explains why he picked Michigan football, and will put his recruiting hat on

The newest Wolverine commit shares what made him pick Michigan, and how he's going to help Wolverines recruit.

Trent Knoop

Alister Vallejo X Accoun
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2026 defensive lineman Alister Vallejo became one of the fastest rising recruits in the rankings, and it all started this year. The Liberty Hill (TX) prospect received his second FBS offer in January from Kansas, and then it took off. By April, Vallejo had offers from both Michigan and Notre Dame, among other schools. After taking some time, he came down to a final three of Kansas, Michigan, and Notre Dame, where he would commit to the Wolverines on June 10.

Many believed it came down between the Fighting Irish and the Wolverines for the Composite's No. 412-ranked recruit and No. 44 defensive lineman in the 2026 cycle. So what made him choose Michigan in the end? He said it felt like home and spoke about the people of Michigan.

"Why Michigan? Ann Arbor is home. On and off the field, everything just fits," Vallejo told Trent Knoop of Michigan Wolverines on SI.

"Through the recruiting process, you see a lot, but what stood out most about Michigan is how real everyone is. For all the history and tradition, it’s still just good people in T-shirts, jeans, and sneakers—no egos, no hype.

"My parents say it all the time: we all put our pants on the same way. That’s what makes this place special."

With Vallejo on board, Michigan now had nine commitments in the class. The Wolverines have had recent commitments from Vallejo and fellow lineman McHale Blade, but Michigan is in position to land more prospects in the coming weeks. The newest Wolverine commit says he is going to put his recruiting hat on, and named a few players he would love to see join him wearing the maize and blue.

"Absolutely," said Vallejo. "The ‘26 class is loaded with talent, and I already know we’ve got a group of guys who love to win. It’d be special to do that together. Lining up next to Titan [Davis], with Chace [Calicut] and [Andre] Clarke locking things down at DB? That’d be crazy. Or going head-to-head with dogs like [John] Turntine, [Zaden] Krempin, [Savion] Hiter, and [Travis] Johnson—iron sharpens iron. And that’s just a few... there’s so much talent in this class."

So what are Michigan fans going to see from the 6-foot-3, 310-pound prospect? There are some comparisons floating around about how Vallejo is a lot like Michigan standout, and top-five NFL Draft selection, Mason Graham. Both Vallejo and Graham had similar builds coming out of high school, and it's possible neither were recruited as heavily as they should have been. While being compared to the two-time All-American is an honor, Vallejo isn't going to read too much into it -- he just wants to play ball.

"Definitely, it’s a huge compliment for sure," Vallejo said. "I try not to read too much or think about it because that stuff can get in your head. I just wanna play ball."

Vallejo will enjoy one more season of high school football before coming to Ann Arbor. He has had back-to-back solid seasons after recording 116 tackles, 21 TFLs, and 18 sacks combined between 2023 and 2024.

- Enjoy more Michigan Wolverines coverage on Michigan Wolverines On SI -

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Trent Knoop
TRENT KNOOP

Trent began writing and covering Michigan athletics back in 2020. He became a credentialed member of the media in 2021. Trent began writing with Sports Illustrated in 2023 and became the Senior Writer for Michigan Wolverines On SI for the 2024 football season. Trent’s love of sports and being able to tell stories to fans is what made him get into writing.

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