Grayson High School linebacker Tyler Atkinson is one of the top prospects in his recruiting cycle. According to the On3 Industry Rankings, he ranks as the No. 13 prospect in the 2026 class. He’s down to Alabama, Auburn, Clemson, Florida State, Georgia, LSU, North Carolina, Ohio State, Tennessee, and Texas.
Atkinson visited Knoxville, Tennessee, this week. He was initially supposed to be in town last Saturday but had to postpone his trip. He stopped by and got strong treatment from the coaching staff. Many major suitors are around this recruitment, but the Vols will continue swinging.
Frame: Long frame that he has continued to grow into in high school. He’s still a bit of a “tweener,” but physical development thus far projects an elite frame. He is already up to 205 pounds as a sophomore and could get to around 230 pounds before he graduates.
He has a very explosive lower half that allows him to take angles others can’t. Lined up as a 7-technique a few times on tape and “ran the hoop” around offensive tackles effectively. Can play in space and match athletic tight ends in man coverage. His strides take up a bunch of space, and he violently gets to top speed.
Plays 100 miles per hour at all times. He actually has good patience when lining up at inside linebacker and lets things develop, but when Atkinson sees an opportunity to make a play, he takes it. Hasn’t gotten in many “instinctual” pass rush situations in high school because he’s a better athlete than everyone on the field. Did make some strong plays on the edge against Daniel Calhoun in the Corky Kell, which is impressive as Daniel is 6-6.5 and 365 pounds.
I’ll be interested to see if Atkinson continues to be the most athletic player on the field once he gets to college – my guess is yes. He will have to adjust to rushing the passer in an SEC setting with massive offensive tackles every week, but so does every high school edge rusher. He will come into college having four years of reps in man coverage, playing in the middle of the field, and getting after the quarterback.
A top-10 evaluation in his class. There’s a reason he’s the most impactful defender at one of the most prestigious high school programs in the southeast. Atkinson changes the game with his blend of size, athleticism, and strength, all of which project as major traits for him at the next level.
