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We talked about the future QB1 for the Longhorns, Dia Bell, yesterday. Today is all about the future QB of the Longhorns defense, Tyler Atkinson. The #1 LB in the country comes in from Grayson High School in Georgia and put up remarkable stats in his four years. Atkinson topped 90 tackles and 8 sacks every season and racked up more than 150 tackles and 10 sacks in his sophomore and junior seasons. Atkinson, unlike Bell, is likely to factor into the Longhorns rotation in 2026, likely very early on.
Highschool Stats: 553 total tackles(10.8 per game), 103 TFLs, 39.5 sacks, 1 INT
The Texas LB room has taken a massive hit this offseason, losing Anthony Hill Jr. to the NFL then Liona Lefau and Bo Barnes through the portal. Rasheem Biles and Justin Cryer answer some of the questions, but not all and Atkinson likely will be forced to. I expect Biles and Ty’Anthony Smith to start with Cryer and possibly Brad Spence coming off the bench. Atkinson will have to factor into that, especially if Texas were to suffer an injury at that position.
The good news for Texas fans is it’s hard to find a reason to believe Atkinson isn’t ready. He’s not the biggest LB in the world, but fits the bill of what a freshman LB should look like. He comes in from an elite high school program playing top-tier competition. On top of that, Atkinson plays with remarkable instincts and motor that is rare for a young LB. I expect him to not only factor into the rotation, but be an instant difference maker like Anthony Hill Jr. was.
In the Texas recruiting class, I think there are two instant playmakers: Jermaine Bishop Jr. and Tyler Atkinson. I believe Atkinson is the major reason Sarkisian and company weren’t more aggressive at the LB position in the portal. Now, the room doesn’t have elite depth and Atkinson is young, so Biles and Smith will need to stay healthy. That being said, I do think Atkinson will be on the field against Ohio State and you won’t see much of a difference.
To me, Atkinson is the best player Texas signed in this class. Dia Bell is incredible but Atkinson is an instant playmaker that I believe will develop into an elite LB by the end of 2026. Atkinson is someone I see reaching the levels of an Anthony Hill Jr. and possibly surpassing him in time. All of that is down the road, but for now, I expect Texas fans to see plenty of Atkinson in 2026.
Tomorrow, it’s about the other instant impact player in the class: Jermaine Bishop Jr.. Bishop will likely remind Longhorns fans of a recent star WR in Austin, Xavier Worthy.
This article originally appeared on Longhorns Wire: Fresh Faces on the Forty: Atkinson is game-ready freshman for Texas
Continue reading...
Highschool Stats: 553 total tackles(10.8 per game), 103 TFLs, 39.5 sacks, 1 INT
The Texas LB room has taken a massive hit this offseason, losing Anthony Hill Jr. to the NFL then Liona Lefau and Bo Barnes through the portal. Rasheem Biles and Justin Cryer answer some of the questions, but not all and Atkinson likely will be forced to. I expect Biles and Ty’Anthony Smith to start with Cryer and possibly Brad Spence coming off the bench. Atkinson will have to factor into that, especially if Texas were to suffer an injury at that position.
The good news for Texas fans is it’s hard to find a reason to believe Atkinson isn’t ready. He’s not the biggest LB in the world, but fits the bill of what a freshman LB should look like. He comes in from an elite high school program playing top-tier competition. On top of that, Atkinson plays with remarkable instincts and motor that is rare for a young LB. I expect him to not only factor into the rotation, but be an instant difference maker like Anthony Hill Jr. was.
In the Texas recruiting class, I think there are two instant playmakers: Jermaine Bishop Jr. and Tyler Atkinson. I believe Atkinson is the major reason Sarkisian and company weren’t more aggressive at the LB position in the portal. Now, the room doesn’t have elite depth and Atkinson is young, so Biles and Smith will need to stay healthy. That being said, I do think Atkinson will be on the field against Ohio State and you won’t see much of a difference.
Grayson HS Linebacker Tyler Atkinson!!!
5️ Linebacker out of Loganville, Georgia is going to be a PROBLEM in college football!@Tyler16Atkinsonpic.twitter.com/zYRKCXxwC5
— Linebackers University™ (@Linebackers_U) November 18, 2025
To me, Atkinson is the best player Texas signed in this class. Dia Bell is incredible but Atkinson is an instant playmaker that I believe will develop into an elite LB by the end of 2026. Atkinson is someone I see reaching the levels of an Anthony Hill Jr. and possibly surpassing him in time. All of that is down the road, but for now, I expect Texas fans to see plenty of Atkinson in 2026.
Tomorrow, it’s about the other instant impact player in the class: Jermaine Bishop Jr.. Bishop will likely remind Longhorns fans of a recent star WR in Austin, Xavier Worthy.
This article originally appeared on Longhorns Wire: Fresh Faces on the Forty: Atkinson is game-ready freshman for Texas
Continue reading...
