In Photos: Five-star LB Tyler Atkinson wins hearts after heartwarming sideline interaction with father

Five-star linebacker Tyler Atkinson remains a hot name in the 2026 class. The standout from Grayson High School in Georgia is enjoying a phenomenal junior season.

On3's Chad Simmons shared some snaps of Atkinson and his father before kickoff on Friday night against South Gwinnett. The father-son duo was seen sharing a meaningful discussion and embracing like close friends.

"Love that you captured this Chad. These are the moments that go unseen a lot of times," a fan commented on the post.

During the game, Atkinson displayed his elite skills by constantly disrupting the opponent's offense and finding his way into the backfield multiple times. His performance helped lead Grayson to a dominant 41-7 victory.

Through five games this season, Atkinson has amassed 51 tackles (24 solo and 27 assisted), nine tackles for loss, five sacks, 27 quarterback hurries, an interception and a pass deflection. This builds on an already outstanding career that includes over 300 tackles across his first two seasons.

Georgia leads the race for Tyler Atkinson's commitment

Tyler Atkinson doesn’t have a clear timeline for his commitment, but Georgia has made him a priority for some time.

This was made abundantly clear when Bulldogs coach Kirby Smart made a dramatic entrance via helicopter to Atkinson's game on Friday. Defensive coordinator Glenn Schumann has maintained regular contact with him.

“Georgia wants me to stay the way I am right now,” Atkinson told DawgNation. “They want me to stay as humble as I can be. They see that I can fit their program. That’s just what it is. Georgia truly wants me to be there and they’ve shown me a lot of interest.”

The Bulldogs' defensive line is another significant factor in Atkinson's interest. The On3 Recruiting Prediction Machine favors the school with a 29.2% chance of securing his commitment.

"I love that D-line front they have got," Atkinson said. "If you don’t have a good defensive line front, it is going to be hard for the linebackers to eat. When they’ve got a good D-line front, that’s going to make me love Georgia even more."

Tyler Atkinson holds ambitions of playing alongside fellow five-star defensive lineman Quincy Stewart, who is predicted to commit to LSU. However, unless the Tigers or another school makes a significant push, all signs point to Georgia being the likely destination for Atkinson.