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Get to know 2026 signee Elijah Ali

On3 imageby: Justin Wells02/04/26

Whether you’re a diehard recruiting aficionado in need of a refresher or a casual recruiting fan needing only the particulars, this will be the series for you.

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The second national signing day for college football is Wednesday, February 4. This series will give you the chance to familiarize yourself with the next class charged with keeping Texas near the top of the college football world.

To win at a consistently high level requires talented class after talented class. The top-10 2026 class does that following a No. 1 class in 2025.

On the second national signing day, Inside Texas will offer a profile of the one post-December addition to the 2026 signing class. Up next, Elijah Ali.

The player: Elijah Ali, DT, Santa Monica (Calif.) Pius-Matthias Academy

The rating: 83.67 (three-star)

The ranking: Ali is ranked as the No. 2089 overall prospect, the No. 187 defensive lineman, and the No. 174 player in California in the Rivals Industry Ranking. Rivals ranks Ali as the No. 117 defensive lineman and the No. 108 player in California.

The highlights:

The recruitment: Ali had only a handful of offers during his senior year from schools like Temple and San Diego State. He had to move cross country from New York to California to play his senior season, and Texas brought him in for a January official visit to get a closer look. Once the Longhorns gave Ali an offer, the process didn’t take long and he committed to Texas.

The quote: “They said they see me in the 3-technique to start, but eventually I may be an all around nose tackle, and end. And their program is amazing. I appreciate how they speak about life after the collegiate/professional level.”

The evaluation: At Texas, Ali projects as a developmental trench piece who can redshirt early, learn the system, and earn his role through daily work. Expect him to live on the scout team initially, stack reps, and take advantage of the strength and conditioning program while sharpening the details of his game. With steady progress, he has a realistic path to growing from depth into a contributor once he’s had time to develop in the program and fully tap into his physical tools.

Texas has shown a willingness to take calculated bets on defensive linemen with the right frame and mindset. Ali fits that mold—a long-term investment with upside if the development hits.

The final word: Adding Ali helps Texas not only because he brings a presence as a big-framed athlete who understands development is necessary to contribute at the Southeastern Conference level in the future, but also because it can help the Longhorns focus on developing current players to be ready for 2026 and even 2027. Ali probably isn’t making an on-field impact this upcoming season, and the same may go for next year as well. But if he bides his time and develops, the athletic potential has a good chance of turning into actual production.

2026 signing class

QB Dia Bell, American Heritage (Fort Lauderdale, FL) – Get to know Bell
CB Samari Matthews, Hough (Huntersville, NC) – Get to know Matthews
TE Charlie Jilek, Portage Central (Portage, MI) – Get to know Jilek
K Jake Collett, Heritage (Ringgold, GA) – Get to know Collett
EDGE Jamarion Carlton, Temple (Temple, TX) – Get to know Carlton
WR Kohen Brown, Waxahachie (Waxahachie, TX) – Get to know Brown
DB Yaheim Riley, Anderson (Austin, TX) – Get to know Riley
OL Kaden Scherer, Georgetown (Georgetown, TX) – Get to know Scherer
P Mikey Bukauskas, Prosper (Prosper, TX) – Get to know Bukauskas
CB Hayward Howard Jr., Edna Karr (New Orleans, LA) – Get to know Howard
WR Chris Stewart, Shadow Creek (Pearland, TX) – Get to know Stewart
ATH Jermaine Bishop, Willis (Willis, TX) – Get to know Bishop
RB Jett Walker, Georgetown (Georgetown, TX) – Get to know Walker
OL Nicolas Robertson, Klein (Spring, TX) – Get to know Robertson
LS Trott O’Neal, Prestonwood Christian (Plano, TX) – Get to know O’Neal
OT John Turntine, North Crowley (Fort Worth, TX) – Get to know Turntine
LB Kosi Okpala, Mayde Creek (Katy, TX) – Get to know Okpala
DT James Johnson, Northwestern (Miami, FL) – Get to know Johnson
S Toray Davis, Fairview (Boulder, CO) – Get to know Davis
RB Derrek Cooper, Chaminade-Madonna Prep (Hollywood, FL) – Get to know Cooper
LB Rocky Cummings, Carlsbad (Carlsbad, CA) – Get to know Cummings
LB Tyler Atkinson, Grayson (Loganville, GA) – Get to know Atkinson
EDGE Richard Wesley, Sierra Canyon (Los Angeles, CA) – Get to know Wesley
DL Elijah Ali, Pius Matthias Academy (Santa Monica, CA)

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