On Tuesday, ESPN pointed out the most important spring recruiting visit for each of the top programs in college football and their choice for the Tennessee Vols is one of the top defensive players in the 2026 class.
ESPN thinks that 2026 five-star linebacker Tyler Atkinson, 6-foot-2/210 lbs from Grayson, GA, will be the Vols’ most important visitor this spring.
Atkinson, who hasn’t officially scheduled his spring visit with Tennessee yet, is originally from Knoxville (though he only briefly lived in Knoxville).
The five-star recruit is rated in 247Sports’ composite rankings as the No. 1 linebacker in the nation and the No. 8 overall player in the 2026 recruiting class. He’s also rated as the No. 1 player in the state of Georgia.
The Georgia Bulldogs have been viewed by some folks as the leader for Atkinson. And the Clemson Tigers are very much in the mix, too (Atkinson will reportedly visit Clemson this weekend).
Tennessee has some ground to make up in this recruiting battle, but if they can get Atkinson on campus for an official visit this spring/summer, they’ll have a legit shot to land the talented linebacker.
Atkinson is the type of player that belongs on a championship roster. If the Vols are going to be an annual playoff contender, they need to land players like Atkinson.