Notre Dame makes top 5 for dominant Texas defensive lineman, and is battling against elite competition
Good luck finding a cooler name in the 2026 recruiting class than Lisiate “Tiki” Hola. The 6-3, 285-pound defensive tackle is a dominant member for the Bastrop (Texas) High School program. As a junior, Hola led the team with 102 total tackles, while also recorded 10 tackles for loss, and three forced fumbles. As you […]
Good luck finding a cooler name in the 2026 recruiting class than Lisiate “Tiki” Hola. The 6-3, 285-pound defensive tackle is a dominant member for the Bastrop (Texas) High School program. As a junior, Hola led the team with 102 total tackles, while also recorded 10 tackles for loss, and three forced fumbles.
As you can imagine, Hola has a long list of suitors who are attempting to attract the Lone Star standout. An elite group of college football programs are looking for that type of impact size. Hola’s offer list includes Notre Dame, Georgia, Texas, Michigan, Oregon, USC, Miami, LSU, Tennessee, Texas A&M and Auburn among many others.
On Sunday, Hola released a top five schools list, and the Fighting Irish were included. They were joined by Texas, Oregon, USC and SMU. Notre Dame was the lone Northern school to make the impressive list of programs.
It wasn’t overly surprising to see the Irish make the initial list for Hola. Despite him being a Texas native, Hola has already made two different visits to South Bend. Only the Longhorns have received more visits thus far than Notre Dame. He’s a high academic kid who has urged the full scope of a decision since his recruiting process began.
Getting a player like Hola out of the state of Texas isn’t going to be easy. The junior is currently ranked as a four-star player, as well as the No. 204 overall player and No. 25 defensive lineman in the 2026 recruiting class on the 247Sports Composite ranking. Hola is also ranked as the No. 28 player in the state of Texas, a territory that is known for putting out a high volume of next level talent.
Notre Dame currently holds six commitments in the 2026 recruiting class. That includes two on the defensive side of the football in linebacker Thomas Davis Jr. and cornerback Chaston Smith. While it’s unclear when Hola will make a commitment, Notre Dame is certainly in a very strong early position. He would be a tremendous potential addition.
