Texas Longhorns LB Anthony Hill Jr. Reacts to Tyler Atkinson Commitment

AUSTIN -- With the NFL a certainty in his future, Texas Longhorns linebacker Anthony Hill Jr. likely won't stick around to see the 2026 recruiting class arrive in Austin as he prepares for his third collegiate season.

Regardless, Hill Jr. is keeping close tabs on the new faces that will follow in his footsteps, particularly at the linebacker position.

Texas landed a commitment from five-star linebacker Tyler Atkinson on Tuesday, not too long before Hill Jr. and the Longhorns were getting set to meet with reporters at SEC Media Days in Atlanta. Though Texas head coach Steve Sarkisian can't comment publicly on recruits that are unsigned, Hill Jr. was open about his thoughts on the news.

What Anthony Hill Jr. Said About Tyler Atkinson

"He's gonna be a great football player for us," Hill Jr. told reporters. "I've been seeing him, working out with him, I've been around him so I know what type of guy he is. He's gonna be a great football player."

Hill Jr. and Atkinson are both represented by the same agent, David Mulugheta of Athlete's First. This has likely allowed the two a chance at building an early relationship with each other over the offseason and during Atkinson's recruiting process.

Sarkisian was asked about Atkinson's commitment during his press conference but reminded the reporter that he as the head coach is not allowed to speak publicly about recruits that are still unsigned. Still, he shared his thoughts on Texas' ability to recruit in the state of Georgia and beyond.

"Players are leaving states all over the place, going to other states to go play," Sarkisian said. "And we've had a ton of players leave the state to Texas and go play at other schools. We've obviously made it a point to recruit more in the southeastern region. I think when we moved into the SEC, it was a lot more natural for players from Louisiana, Alabama, Florida, Georgia, to be willing to come play at the University of Texas."

Atkinson wasn't the only out-of-state product the Longhorns landed on Tuesday. Not long after Sarkisian's press conference, On3's Hayes Fawcett reported that Texas had secured a commitment from five-star defensive lineman James "JJ" Johnson, who flipped from the Georgia Bulldogs. Though Johnson hails from the state of Florida, it marked another win for Texas over Georgia on the recruiting trail.

Texas will begin the 2025 regular season against Ohio State on Aug. 30.