Georgia loses out to Texas Longhorns for 5-star in-state LB Tyler Atkinson

It was a massive recruiting battle. One that the Longhorns won, and one that will go down as a huge loss for UGA. 

You never want to lose out on an in-state recruit that you were in on, but to lose out on a 5-star while being in the final grouping? That's just rough, even if you're a head coach as accomplished as Kirby Smart.

Ultimately, though, Texas provided everything Atkinson was looking for.

"The coaches, the relationships piece, the atmosphere," he said of why he went Texas' way (h/t 247Sports). "You know, I feel like it encompasses everything I want at Texas. I feel like the way they're going to have me be playing is just the best fit. That's why I chose Texas."

Sarkisian's 2026 class is loaded, and Atkinson is now the top-ranked recruit in his ranks. His class is ranked No. 8 nationally.

To be fair to Smart and Georgia, it's not as if the Bulldogs have missed out much this cycle. He has 28 commitments in a class that's ranked No. 2 nationally.