Long a position the Kansas University football coaches, double- and triple-check their wish lists for, KU’s defensive line got a boost on Monday, when juco defensive tackle Isi Holani orally committed to the Jayhawks.
Holani, a 6-foot-2, 315-pound, three-star prospect from Riverside College in California, made an official visit to Kansas last weekend and ended his recruitment Monday afternoon.
“Coach (Clint) Bowen and the rest of the staff are awesome people and great coaches,” Holani told Jon Kirby of JayhawkSlant.com. “I’d just like to thank him for finding me and giving me the opportunity. He did a perfect job recruiting me because he made sure all of my questions about KU were answered.”
Holani, who hails from Hilo High in Hawaii, at the very least figures to add depth to KU’s defensive line. The Jayhawks will lose Kapil Fletcher, Ben Goodman, T.J. Semke to graduation and likely will lose Miami (Fla.) transfer Corey King, as well.
Freshmen Daniel Wise and D.J. Williams showed flashes of play-making ability on KU’s D-Line, but given the coaching staff’s emphasis on competition, every day in every way, adding a mature player with good size like Holani, only can help.
“They were excited,” Holani told Kirby of the reaction of KU coach David Beaty and his staff. “I am as fired up as they were. I want to go in there and play like they think I can and they said to expect big things.”
Holani is expected to sign later this month during the junior college early signing period. He told Kirby he had not decided if he would take a final visit to Hawaii, which recently offered.
He said he had offers from Kansas State, Hawaii, Oklahoma State, Colorado State, Boise State, Nevada, and Fresno State.
He becomes the 13th commitment in KU’s 2016 recruiting class.
