Class of 2026 Commit Compared to Clemson Tigers All-American Linebacker

Throughout his collegiate career, Clemson Tigers linebacker Barrett Carter was underestimated because he didn’t possess the kind of measurables that jump out and catch the attention of scouts and coaches.

Coming in at 6’1” and 215 pounds, some evaluators weren’t as high on Carter because of his lack of elite measurables. But, whatever he lacked in size and length he more than made up for with his athleticism and incredible football IQ.

The Tigers were certainly happy to have him on their side, as he was a consistent producer for the team as a three-down linebacker who never had to come off the field.

As a freshman, he played sparingly for Dabo Swinney’s defense, but by Year 2 of his career, he was a starter who rarely came off the field.

Over his last three seasons at Clemson, Carter recorded double-digit tackles for loss in each campaign with at least 3.5 sacks.

He stuffed the stat sheet, appearing in 52 games with 233 total tackles, 33 tackles for loss, 12.5 sacks, three interceptions, 21 passes defended, three fumble recoveries and two forced fumbles.

Whether it was shutting down the run game in the box, chasing down playmakers from sideline to sideline, rushing the passer or playing pass defense, Carter got the job done despite some limitations from his size.

A similar impact could be provided by linebacker Tyler Atkinson, a member of the 2026 recruiting class.

Over at ESPN, Craig Haubert and Craig Luginbill shared some comps for members of the Junior 300.

Among them was Atkinson, the No. 9 ranked player currently in his class. Carter, the Clemson star, who is now preparing for the 2025 NFL Draft, has a lot of similarities to Atkinson, the high school standout, who measured 6’2” and 210 pounds.

“...we initially hesitated making Atkinson a five-star because of his size and lack of elite length. Ultimately, his production, versatility and competitive nature overrode that concern,” as written at ESPN.

Similar to Barrett, Atkinson is capable of making an impact in every facet of the game, whether it is against the run or pass. He possesses a rare blend of agility and speed to overcome his lack of ideal measurables, and the evaluators believe he is even more explosive athletically than Barrett was at this stage.

That could enable the high school junior to be an even more productive pass rusher down the line than Carter was with the Tigers.

With legitimate three-down potential, Atkinson has a chance to be an impact player for a Power 4 conference program and eventually play on Sundays just like the Clemson star is hoping to do this fall.

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