Exclusive; 5-Star UGA Football Target Breaks Down Interest In The Dawgs
West Georgia had a number of top Georgia Bulldog commitments and targets competing at the Atlanta Under Armor Camp last weekend. One of the top prospects was Grayson (Ga.) linebacker Tyler Atkinson.
As a sophomore, the 6-foot-3, 205-pound outside linebacker was dominant again, showing why he is one of the best pass rushers in the country at any class. Georgia offered Atkinson early in the process, and sources say Georgia is a great fit for the state’s elite cornerback. In fact, Atkinson said the same thing after his impressive run at Under Armour.
“Georgia is very high on my list right now,” Atkinson told the Dawg Post. “The Georgia staff is amazing. Coach Smart and Coach Shuman are great and I like the way they treat me there.” Atkinson is no stranger to Athens and returned to the Classic City in late January to watch the Bulldogs play basketball with Georgia coaches.
The pass rush machine had plenty of other good things to say about the Dawgs and why they are currently at the top of his list. “It’s all about working in Georgia,” Atkinson added. “It meant a lot to them to accept me the way they did because everyone wants to go to Georgia.
Coach Schumann is the coach I have the best relationship with. I like the way he studies the game and uses the midfield. They want me to play inside and out and use me in different ways.” Atkinson knows all about the former Bulldog pass rusher who played quarterback in red and black.
Super Bowl champion Marcus Howard, one of Georgia’s best pass rushers over the past two decades, has coached Atkinson for several years. Howard certainly knows how to attack a quarterback and makes sure other Peach State quarterbacks can do the same.
Atkinson is a natural pass rusher due to his length, athleticism and explosiveness, but working with Howard, expect Atkinson’s game to get better and better over the next two years. Once a young, shaky safety surrounded by a ton of hype entering high school, Atkinson has blossomed into a physically gifted and fundamentally sound safety who can stop the run and rush the quarterback and anyone in peach form.
The dynamic defensive back is coming off a tremendous second season with the Rams, where he has 197 tackles, 25 interceptions and 10.5 sacks. His best football still lies ahead of him, which is a scary thought for a Class 7A opponent.
Atkinson has lived up to expectations during his first two seasons at Grayson and is currently ranked as the nation’s No. 14 prospect in the 2026 class.
