It's not fair to compare any recruit to Michigan football legend Mason Graham, who is arguably the best defensive tackle in U-M history.
But when you watch the film of the latest Michigan football commitment, Alister Vallejo, a 6-foot-3, 310-pound defensive tackle, it's hard not to see the similarities.
Out of Liberty Hill, Texas, Vallejo was considered a Notre Dame lean until recently. Michigan head coach Sherrone Moore teased a commitment on Tuesday morning, and it turned out to be Vallejo, which is a gut punch to the Irish.
The defensive tackle, who also took an official visit to Kansas recently, is ranked No. 443 overall, according to the 247 Sports composite rankings. However, 247 Sports has him ranked No. 202 overall, which is actually seven spots higher than Graham.
When Graham first committed, he was a three-star ranked outside the top 800. USC, Oregon, and some other programs got involved after Michigan landed his commitment, but that was an evaluation win. This will be too.
Vallejo has a similar build, but also insane explosiveness for a three-technique. Over the past two seasons, he was credited with 17 sacks and 25 hurries. That pass-rush ability, which is rare for a 300-pounder, shows up on film. There are even times where he lines up as an EDGE, something Michigan tried with Graham last season.
All that said, it's hard to imagine Vallejo being as good as Graham. That's not a slight -- Graham is just one of the most elite defenders in program history. The 2026 recruit has a chance to be very good, though. There's a reason Notre Dame wanted him so badly.
It seems that the Irish and their fans are more upset about Vallejo than McHale Blade. Obviously, we'll see how this plays out, but it might be a recruitment we look back on in a few years as a pivotal win for the Wolverines, just like Mason Graham and Kenneth Grant.