5-Star Recruit Tyler Atkinson Reveals Official Visits, Favorites Before Committing

Five-star linebacker recruit Tyler Atkinson will likely visit the Oregon Ducks and coach Dan Lanning. The Ducks are battling for the commitment of Atkinson with the Auburn Tigers, Georgia Bulldogs and the Ohio State Buckeyes. Oregon's recruiting class rankings would surge with Atkinson's commitment.

Dec 28, 2022; San Diego, CA, USA; Oregon Ducks head coach Dan Lanning reacts after the 2022 Holiday Bowl against the North Carolina Tar Heels at Petco Park. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images | Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

Unlike some of their fellow Big Ten Conference members, the Oregon Ducks haven't seen a whole lot of action on the recruiting front recently. In fact, the Ducks have only landed one recruit since the beginning of the year.

However, Oregon coach Dan Lanning and the Ducks still have a chance to go into the summer as one of the hottest programs on the recruiting trail as they are the school to beat for some of their top targets on the board.

Tyler Atkinson visits OSU the day of the Ohio State Buckeyes' 38-15 win over the Indiana Hoosiers in an NCAA football game at Ohio Stadium in Columbus on Saturday, Nov. 23, 2024. | Lori Schmidt / Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

The Ducks have been in pursuit of five-star linebacker Tyler Atkinson for quite some and for good reason. Atkinson is ranked as the No. 1 linebacker and the No. 7 player in the country according to 247Sports Composite rankings.

Chad Simmons of On3 said that the Ducks are in strong positions to receive an official visit from the top linebacker in the country.

"Still working on his official visit schedule, but Auburn, Georgia, and Oregon look to be in strong positions to receive one. He could take over five, but that has not been decided on yet. He had a great first visit to Eugene in March and Auburn and Georgia are two that have established strong relationships over time," Simmons said.

It's a great sign that Atkinson will likely visit Eugene again, solidifying Oregon's position as a top option along with the Auburn Tigers, Georgia Bulldogs and the Ohio State Buckeyes. Atkinson has already scheduled a visit to Ohio State.

Other schools who are pushing for the elite recruit to visit are Alabama, USC, Clemson, Colorado and Michigan.

Arguably the weakest position group on the defense, Atkinson could provide instantly relief and the ability to potentially earn snaps right away with his combination of size and athleticism.

"Highly-productive inside linebacker that can emerge as the soul of a defense with his instincts and athleticism. Quick to locate the football with his field awareness and will mirror ball carries with his rare start-stop ability and exceptional lateral burst. Could fit into a variety of different schemes at the next level and will likely offer three-down value," Andrew Ivins of 247Sports said about Atkinson.

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Nov 16, 2024; Madison, Wisconsin, USA; Oregon Ducks head coach Dan Lanning looks on during the first quarter against the Wisconsin Badgers at Camp Randall Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Hanisch-Imagn Images | Jeff Hanisch-Imagn Images

Although they already landed the top tight end in the 2026 recruiting cycle in Kendre Harrison, Lanning and the Ducks might not be done recruiting the position. Oregon has been rumored to be the favorite for four-star tight end Brock Harris.

"He is down to BYU, Georgia, Miami, Michigan, Oregon and Utah. At different times, different schools have been viewed as the favorite to land the four-star tight end in Utah. Oregon was always high on his list. Georgia has been too," Simmons said.

The No. 5 tight end and No. 56 player in the class according to 247Sports, Harris would be a dangerous pickup for Oregon offensive coordinator Will Stein. This past season, the Ducks had two tight ends finish inside their top five receiving leaders.

Oregon currently sits with the No. 6 recruiting class in the country according to 247Sports rankings, but the Ducks could jump back into contention for the top class in the country if they landed their priority targets this cycle.

The USC Trojans have the No. 1 recruiting class in the 2026 cycle. The Trojans flipped the commitment of 4-star defensive lineman recruit Tomuhini Topui, who de-committed from the Oregon Ducks last week.