Georgia hosting 5-Star recruit who looks built in a lab for Kirby Smart

Oftentimes, when you see certain recruits, you can just envision them playing for a certain program, coach or in a certain system. While the stars don't always align, when the recruit does pick the clear and obvious fit it more often than not makes for a perfect storm as the program gets a gamechanger and the player goes on to the NFL Draft.

Any time there's an elite defensive recruit, the first thought is how they would look in Kirby Smart's system now that Nick Saban is no longer dueling him for the Nation's best defenders. In the 2026 recruiting class, one recruit looks like he's built to play for Kirby Smart.

5-star linebacker Tyler Atkinson set for official visit to Georgia

This weekend, the headliner of a loaded official visit weekend at Georgia is 5-star linebacker Tyler Atkinson.

On3's Industry Recruiting Rankings have Atkinson ranked as the 8th best player in the Country, the Nation's top linebacker, and the top player ranked out of Georgia. Take away the fact that Atkinson is from Georgia and the fact that he's a 5-star and as soon as you see him play, he looks like the perfect Kirby Smart defensive star.

Through three seasons, Tyler Atkinson has racked up a jaw-dropping 475 tackles, 79 of which were for a loss, and 30.5 sacks.

When you watch Atkinson play, he can beat you as an edge rusher, blowing by offensive tackles, and he can wreck the game from the Middle of the field. If you're looking for a proof of concept at Georgia, look no further than 2025 NFL Draft 1st round pick Jalon Walker, who filled the same role for the Bulldogs.

The Bulldogs will have plenty of competition in the recruitment of Atkinson as he's one of the most sought after recruits in the Country. While Atkinson will be a dominant player wherever he goes, seeing him play for two coaches like Kirby Smart and Glenn Schumann would be incredible as the two would deploy him perfectly.

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