Texas Longhorns Predicted to Land Five-Star LB Tyler Atkinson

AUSTIN -- Some notable swings and misses on the recruiting trail this offseason isn't stopping the Texas Longhorns from potentially landing their biggest commitment of the 2026 class.

On3's Steve Wiltfong logged a recruiting prediction Monday for Texas to land a commitment from 2026 five-star linebacker Tyler Atkinson, who will be announcing his decision Tuesday on ESPN's The Pat McAfee Show. His finalists are the Longhorns, Oregon Ducks, Georgia Bulldogs and Clemson Tigers.

A product of Grayson High School in Loganville, GA., Atkinson is the No. 1 player in the state of Georgia, the No. 1 linebacker in the class and the No. 20 overall recruit in the entire country, per 247Sports' composite rankings.

Longhorns Have Made Tyler Atkinson 'Feel Like Their No. 1'

The Longhorns have made Atkinson feel like a priority during the recruiting process, which resulted in some interesting comments about Texas head coach Steve Sarkisian. He took an official visit to Austin on June 20.

"The Longhorns are focused on building something special," Atkinson told On3's Hayes Fawcett. "Coach Sark took the lead of my recruitment as his own priority. I feel like their No. 1 draft pick, which brings a lot of pressure and challenges. That alone offers a next level of preparation for the next level of competition. I can see myself being guided to greatness there."

If Atkinson ends up committing to Texas, he would join a 2026 recruiting class that features other five-star players like quarterback Dia Bell, athlete Jermaine Bishop Jr. and edge rusher Richard Wesley.

Last season, Atkinson tallied 166 total tackles (32 for loss), 13 sacks, three pass breakups, one forced fumble, one fumble recovery and one interception.

According to 247Sports director of scouting Andrew Ivins, Atkinson brings impressive versatility to the table as a recruit.

"Highly-productive inside linebacker that can emerge as the soul of a defense with his instincts and athleticism," Ivins wrote. " ... "Must keep improving play strength and get better at attacking college-sized linemen, but should be viewed as a playmaking second-level defender that can rack up stops all over the field like he has been doing since he was a freshman for one of the Peach State’s top programs. Could fit into a variety of different schemes at the next level and will likely offer three-down value given how he moves and strikes."

Texas will now hope to hear Atkinson choose the Longhorns on Tuesday.