Notre Dame added to its big time 2026 recruiting class when it landed Texas defensive tackle Tiki Hola. Let's take a look at Notre Dame's newest commitment.
TIKI HOLA PROFILE
Hometown/High School: Bastrop, Texas/Bastrop
Height/Weight: 6-3, 300
IB Grade: 4.0 (Top 150 caliber prospect)
Upside Grade: 4.5 (Top 75 caliber prospect)
Player Comp: Daviyon Nixon, Iowa
2024 Stats: 102 tackles, 12 tackles for loss, 2 sacks, 3 forced fumbles
Recruited By: Al Washington
Offers: Notre Dame, Georgia, Texas, LSU, Michigan, Oregon, USC, Texas A&M, Miami (Fla.), Tennessee, Nebraska, TCU, SMU, Oklahoma State, Arizona State, Texas Tech, Baylor, Boston College, Arizona, Houston
RECRUITING RANKINGS
ESPN: 4-star - No. 150 overall - No. 12 defensive tackle
Rivals: 4-star - No. 214 overall - No. 16 defensive tackle
247Sports: 3-star - No. 56 defensive lineman
On3: 3-star - 3-star - No. 85 defensive lineman
247Sports Composite: 4-star - No. 311 overall - No. 35 defensive lineman
On3 Consensus: 3-star - No. 449 overall - No. 48 defensive lineman
NOTRE DAME FIT
Hola is list at 6-3 and this spring he has checked in at 300 pounds, so he continues a trend by defensive line coach Al Washington, who is looking to add a lot more beef to the defensive line. Hola also has the impressive length that Notre Dame desires on defense, which is another reason he was a priority prospect. Hola played inside as a sophomore and moved to the edge as a junior, but his future is inside. The Bastrop big man has the power and playmaking combination Notre Dame wants to have at nose, but he is long enough and disruptive enough to play the three-technique spot as well.
FILM ANALYSIS
Hola was listed between 265-285 pounds as a junior, but you could always see he had the frame to easily get to 300 pounds. That has already happened, as Hola is now up to 300 pounds, which he's checked in at on campus visits and at spring camps. He's a natural 300-pounder and hasn't had to add any bad weight to get to his current weight, and there's still room for him to fill out even more as he gets into a college weight room. Hola also has very impressive length, and he knows how to use that length to keep blockers off his body. Combine that with his impressive strength and it makes him a highly effective block destruction player when his technique is right.
Overall, Hola shows the combination of upper and lower body strength/power you want in an interior player. He has the mass and lower body strength to hold up extremely well at the point of attack, making him an effective two-gap player when you need him to do so, and it makes him very hard to move in a one-on-one block. His upper body strength combines with his length to allow Hola to get off blocks and get to the ball carrier, which is why he was so disruptive in the run game as a junior (102 tackles, 12 tackles for loss). He can rock blockers back off the line when he plays with violent hands, and it makes him extremely difficult to block. He's got some bully to his game, which you want in an interior defender.
Athletically, Hola shows a very good vertical burst off the line, especially when he's playing inside. He can quickly penetrate into gaps and get into the backfield, and he shows good closing speed to the football when he gets off blocks. When he keeps his pads low he fires off the line and drives blockers off the ball. His combination of length and quickness is a reason he blocked three kicks as a junior. His lateral quickness is good or a player with his size, and it's a reason I think there's even more pass rushing potential to his game once he becomes a pure inside player. Right now his game is about dominating the run game, and his pass rush game needs more work, but the tools are there.
Hola is a smart football player that shows a strong feel for making good reasons to the ball, and he also shows good gap discipline. His instincts are another reason he was so incredibly productive as a junior. Hola has a tendency to play too high at times, and when he does that he's easier to block. When he keeps his pads low and fires off the ball he's a handful, and the more he does that the more dominant he'll be.
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