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Miami targeting coveted Michigan football commitment for a flip

The Miami Hurricanes are never a team you want to see recruiting a player on committed to your program. Yet, a covered Michigan commit was offered on Wednesday night.
ByChris Peterson|
Michigan coach Sherrone Moore walks off the field after his team's 31-12 loss to Texas at Michigan Stadium in Ann Arbor on Saturday, Sept. 7, 2024.
Michigan coach Sherrone Moore walks off the field after his team's 31-12 loss to Texas at Michigan Stadium in Ann Arbor on Saturday, Sept. 7, 2024. | Junfu Han / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

The Wolverines have done most of their work in the 2026 recruiting class. Now, it's mostly about defending commitments, something Michigan football needs to worry about with one of its most coveted pledges.

Alister Vallejo, a 6-foot-3, 310-pound defensive lineman out of Liberty Hill, Texas, feels like one of Michigan's biggest recruiting wins in the 2026 class, despite the ranking, which is 320th overall, according to the 247 Sports composite rankings.

Notre Dame, and its fans, thought Vallejo to South Bend was a done deal. Then, just before his decision, Michigan swooped in, landing the blue-chip defensive tackle who is eerily similar to Mason Graham.

Kansas was another finalist for Vallejo. That's not a reflection on the kind of player he is, but his recruitment was definitely under the radar.

ACC school targeting Michigan football D-line commitment

Now that's changed as the Miami Hurricanes entered the fray with a scholarship offer, the 12th for Vallejo, in an effort to flip his commitment to the ACC school.

Vallejo was a force last season, in 2024, with 51 tackles, seven sacks, nine tackles for loss, 16 hurries, and four blocked kicks. The highlight reel is impressive. It's curious he's not ranked higher, but I thought the same about Mason Graham, who was offered by USC and Oregon following his commitment to the Wolverines.

It feels like Vallejo's commitment is solid. If he visits Miami during the season, that could be worrisome, but I wouldn't be concerned about his commitment to the Wolverines, at least not yet, especially with Lou Esposito as the primary recruiter.

For now, it's just another sign that Michigan football got something special in Vallejo, a player who is much better than this ranking. It's something to monitor, though, especially if the Hurricanes get him on campus for a visit.

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