Five-star LB Tyler Atkinson signs with Texas

With standout Anthony Hill Jr. presumably off to the NFL following the 2025 season, the Longhorns needed to reload the pipeline in the linebacker room and did just that with the signature of five-star linebacker Tyler Atkinson on Wednesday.

Securing the services of Atkinson was a major coup for co-defensive coordinator/linebackers coach Johnny Nansen and the Texas staff, reaching deep into Georgia for the No. 2 linebacker in the nation. Ranked No. 20 overall, according to the 247Sports Composite, Atkinson reported 50 offers, including Oregon, Clemson, and home-state Georgia, all schools which received an official visit during the popular summer visit window. The Longhorns, however, had the benefit of receiving the last visit before the quiet period, bringing him in as a part of the big recruiting event on June 20.

Atkinson’s final decision came three weeks later, pulling the trigger for the Longhorns and joining the class the same day as four-star defensive lineman James Johnson to solidify the defensive class that Texas put together during the last two weeks of June and the first two weeks of July. He was one of seven top-250 defensive players who committed to Texas between June 21 and July 15, a group that includes at least one player at every level of the defense.

View Link

The 6’2, 210-pound linebacker from Loganville (Ga.) Grayson projects as an early contributor to the defense, likely in a similar way to how Texas deployed Hill his freshman year while he adjusted to the speed and skill needed to be a dedicated linebacker in Pete Kwiatkowski’s scheme. The recent emergence of Ty’Anthony Smith as an every-down backer for Texas gives the Longhorns the luxury of allowing Atkinson to grow into the role, both physically and mentally, as he likely will need to add weight to his long frame to hold up to the grueling SEC schedule.

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.