Oregon Ducks hosting 5-star recruit this weekend: 'I am really excited'

Andrew Nemec | Mar 12, 2025

Five-star linebacker Tyler Atkinson with Oregon coach Dan Lanning / Courtesy of Tyler Atkinson

Grayson (Georgia) five-star linebacker Tyler Atkinson isn't list as the No. 1 prospect in the country by any recruiting service.

But few players are being pursued as relentlessly as the nation's No. 1 linebacker.

Atkinson holds more than 50 scholarship offers - a list that includes nearly every major program in the country - and the game's biggest coaches were a staple in the Grayson hallways earlier this year.

Clemson's Dabo Swinney, Miami's Mario Cristobal, Ohio State's Ryan Day, Oregon's Dan Lanning, USC's Lincoln Riley, Florida State's Mike Norvell, Tennessee's Josh Heupel, Auburn's Huge Freeze, and others all made an apperance.

Rated the nation's No. 7 overall prospect, the 6-foot-2, 210-pound linebacker is viewed as a tone-setter on defense, the kind of player that defines an era for a football program.

Which explains why he's among the most heavily-recruited linebacker in recent recruiting history.

This weekend, Atkinson will take an unofficial visit to Eugene, his first time stepping foot on Oregon's campus.

For his part, the Georgia product is eager to step back on campus.

"I am really excited to get out there," Atkinson said. "Between the personal visit in January from coach (Dan) Lanning and coach Tosh (Lupoi), to all the phone and FaceTime conversations, the relationship has really grown."

Regardless of who anyone else signs, it would be difficult for anyone to top Atkinson as the "class headliner," as he has the potential to be a generational 'backer.

Here's what 247Sports had to say about him as a prospect:

"Highly-productive inside linebacker that can emerge as the soul of a defense with his instincts and athleticism. Owns more of a streamlined build at this stage, but is blessed with a longer frame and should have no issues eventually carrying 225 pounds or more. Quick to locate the football with his field awareness and will mirror ball carries with his rare start-stop ability and exceptional lateral burst. Has proven to be rather effective on the blitz as he will slip and dip around blockers before geting to the quarterback. Not one that has been asked to man-up a ton in coverage, but is comfortable dropping back into space and shading passing lanes. Must keep improving play strength and get better at attacking college-sized linemen, but should be viewed as a playmaking second-level defender that can rack up stops all over the field like he has been doing since he was a freshman for one of the Peach State’s top programs. Could fit into a variety of different schemes at the next level and will likely offer three-down value given how he moves and strikes."

Overall, Oregon's 2026 recruiting class, which consists of nine pledges, is ranked No. 3 nationally.

However, they have a higher "rating per commit" (93.75) than the two programs above them - USC (14 pledges; 92.49) and Clemson (12 pledges; 90.27).

In other words, the Ducks remain firmly in the mix to finish with the nation's No. 1 recruiting class.

A commitment from Atkinson would certainly help in that endeavor.

And this weekend's unofficial visit could mark a key moment for Oregon.

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