Kirby Smart's Georgia inches closer to landing nation's No. 1 LB of 2026 class with another visit this week

Five-star linebacker Tyler Atkinson from Grayson High School in Lawrenceville, Georgia, has been a priority target for Kirby Smart and the Georgia coaching staff. The nation’s No. 1 linebacker in the 2026 class visited Athens on Tuesday, according to On3’s Chad Simmons. Atkinson was in attendance as the Bulldogs kicked off their spring practice.

In January, Atkinson was honored as the 2024 MaxPreps National Junior of the Year after leading Grayson to a Class AAAAAA state championship. He put up phenomenal numbers during the season, recording 166 tackles, 13 sacks, 46 quarterback hurries, one interception and one forced fumble.

Atkinson has received nationwide attention, especially following his mighty junior season, and secured more than 50 offers. Despite the continued surge in his recruitment, he isn’t ready to rush his commitment.

“When it comes to my final decision, I really want to make sure I get it right because I’m going to give that program my all just like I do at Grayson, and I want to know that the school I pick will give me their all, too," Atkinson told Dawg Nation in November.

Atkinson is also the No. 1 recruit in Georgia and the No. 18 prospect in the nation, according to Rivals. He and his family hosted Georgia defensive coordinator Glenn Schumann at their home last month.

As of now, the Bulldogs are considered the leader in his recruitment with a 35.4% chance of securing his commitment, according to On3. However, their big competitor in the race might be Clemson. He visited the Tigers for their Elite Retreat this week, where Dabo Swinney and his staff presented him with a highly detailed recruitment plan, dubbed the “AtkNup Plan.”

Which other prospects did Georgia host?

Besides Tyler Atkinson, Georgia hosted multiple prospects on Tuesday, including four-star edge rusher Dre Quinn, four-star wide receiver Ryan Mosley and four-star safety Simeon Caldwell. The Bulldogs are also set to host five-star quarterback Jared Curtis from March 13-16 and four-star running back Javian Osborne from March 14-15.

Georgia has five committed players in the 2026 class, ranking No. 18 in the nation and No. 8 in the Southeastern Conference.