Tyler Atkinson is one of the top overall players in the 2026 recruiting class, let alone one of the top linebackers.
In fact, the 247Sports Composite ranks him as the top linebacker in the nation and the No. 9 player overall. Naturally, he’s also ranked as the No. 1 player from the state of Georgia.
That made Atkinson a massive target for Kirby Smart and the Georgia Bulldogs. Atkinson is from Loganville, Georgia, which is less than an hour’s drive away from Athens.
The Bulldogs got the 5-star on campus a bunch of times and even had him in for an official visit. Ultimately, though, it was Steve Sarkisian and the Texas Longhorns who ended up getting Atkinson’s commitment on Tuesday.
The star linebacker went on “The Pat McAfee Show” to announce his decision. It came down to Texas, Georgia, Oregon and Clemson.
