Five-star LB Tyler Atkinson commits to Texas over Clemson, Georgia, and Oregon

The Longhorns land a massive recruiting win at linebacker.

The Texas Longhorns were in need of major momentum on the recruiting trail and got exactly what they needed with the commitment of Loganville (Ga.) Grayson linebacker Tyler Atkinson live on the Pat McAfee Show on Tuesday.

Atkinson, the top linebacker in the country and the No. 9 player overall, according to the 247Sports Composite, is easily one of the most coveted players in the country with 50 reported offers. He seemingly narrowed the field over the summer, visiting the Clemson Tigers, the Oregon Ducks, the Georgia Bulldogs, and spending the final weekend of the period with the Longhorns.

Atkinson was long considered a Georgia lean, favoring the local team for the massive in-state target, but shortly following the announcement of his commitment date, industry analysts began entering their picks for Texas to secure his services.

The 6’2, 210-pound defender from has been wildly productive in his three seasons, with 475 tackles in his three varsity seasons, leading them to a state championship as a junior. He’s not just a tackle machine; he thrives on creating havoc in the backfield, recording 79 tackles for loss and 31.5 sacks in his three seasons roaming the second level.

Atkinson jumps to the top of the Longhorns’ 2026 class, taking a place previously occupied by five-star quarterback Dia Bell as the group’s crown jewel. He becomes Texas’s third composite five-star of the cycle, alongside Bell and EDGE Richard Wesley atop a class that now sits No. 8 in the country, according to 247Sports.

He is the second linebacker in the group, joining Mayde Creek (Houston) defender Kosi Okpala in a group that addresses the big hole that will be left by the likely departure of Anthony Hill following the 2025 football season.

Film Analysis (by Daniel Seahorn):

You will be hard pressed to find a more productive and decorated linebacker at the high school level, and his tape matches up with how he has been courted by the best of the best in Power Five conferences. Atkinson possesses solid size at his listed 6’2, 210 pounds, and possesses very good functional athleticism that shows up continuously on tape. Reads and reacts very well, and when he triggers into pursuit mode, he covers ground in a hurry. Operates very well as a space defender and is a true sideline-to-sideline presence in the middle of the defense. Looks like he is shot out of a cannon when he identifies screens or triggers downhill on a ball carrier. Arrives at the ball with a violent disposition and ends the play when he makes contact with the ball carrier. Lines up off the ball for most of the snaps on tape, but also lines up as a pass rusher on the edge and shows good power in his hands as a rusher. Not afraid to bring the fight to blockers head-on and will violently strike them and ball carriers alike. Would like to see more of him as a pass defender, but the clips from his junior year inspire confidence that he will not have issues in that department. Atkinson is constantly around the football and has the production to back up what you see on the statsheet on the film. Has produced absolute video game numbers over his high school career with 475 total tackles, 79 TFLs, and 31.5 sacks over the past three seasons. Atkinson had a monster game in the state championship game against Juju Lewis’ Carrollton squad, where he had 13 tackles and 2 sacks.

Atkinson is the type of linebacker you want in the middle of your defense, calling the signals and someone you build around. He can flow sideline to sideline as an off-the-ball inside backer, he can line up on the edge and get pressure on the quarterback as a rusher, and he is very effective as a blitzer. Atkinson will have zero problems finding his way onto the field early in his collegiate career, whether it is traditional snaps on defense or as a demon on special teams.