October 5, 2024, is a date Auburn Tigers’ fans might remember for a long time. That’s the day Hugh Freeze’s squad got turned into dust bunnies by Kirby Smart’s Georgia at Sanford Stadium. A 31-13 beatdown, a heroic victory for the Dawgs, and a total gut punch for the Tigers. And just when you thought the trauma was fading, here come the Bulldogs, twisting the knife.

Smart’s squad is now plotting to lure away Auburn’s 5-star in-state target, Tyler Atkinson. The red carpets are already out in Athens for the linebacker, while Dabo Swinney is also in the mix, having a vision for the 5-star.  

Kirby Smart going all in for Tyler Atkinson

Smart’s Bulldogs are coming off another stellar recruiting haul. Georgia’s crushing it, sitting at No. 3 for 2025, and Smart’s got nine straight top-five classes, including four No. 1s since ’16. Now, they’re gunning for the top linebacker in 2026. Atkinson had nearly 50 offers from major Power Five programs. However, right now the Bulldogs come off as the frontrunners. As of March 10, Atkinson tweeted, “I will be AtkkNup tomorrow in Athens!” This tweet was then reshared by analyst Chad Simmons, who wrote, “Major in-state target for Kirby and co.”

The 6’2” and 210-pounder plays for Grayson High School in Loganville, Georgia. Smart’s Bulldogs are starting their spring practice in Athens on March 18, Tuesday, which would open the gates for the elite linebacker to peep inside. Now what might have made Atkinson consider Georgia? Well, Smart and his forte in creating a Butkus winner legacy in Athens. Already, Georgia had three Butkus winners—Roquan Smith, who now plays for the Baltimore Ravens; Philadelphia Eagles LB Nakobe Dean; and Georgia LB Jalon Walker, who is off to the NFL. That’s when Smart wants to land another one. 

As Georgia insider Graham Coffey stated, “Georgia has 3 Butkus winners under Kirby Smart… This guy has the tools to be the 4th.” Already Smart had made grand efforts to woo the 5-star athlete. As per the reports, on January 18, the HC took a helicopter to visit Atkinson. And it already had a positive effect. Post the visit, the athlete tweeted, “Great time with Coach Kirby & my parents today💯.” Now, the latest intel on Atkinson might be catching Freeze with some FOMO feels.    

Hugh Freeze caught in the recruiting crossfire to land Tyler Atkinson  

The Tigers HC might be feeling himself caught up in a deadlock situation. One way, it’s Smart; the other way, it’s Clemson HC Dabo Swinney, and if any way is open, Colorado Buffaloes HC Deion Sanders comes to block it. After all, Freeze has been a serious suitor for the Grayson High School phenom since July 2024. And with the passage of time, the expectations have been pretty high.  One such instance is what happened after the Big Cat weekend.

The MaxPreps Sophomore All-American assured, “Auburn sits very high. They sit super high. They’re a very good school, very good coaching staff.” However, it did not take much time for Freeze’s high aspirations to vanish like a puff when Coach Prime entered the picture. 

As expected, the Buffs HC had to stand out from the crowd. So, instead of visiting him personally, he had a high-spirited Zoom call with the linebacker. Atkinson obviously was flattered by Deion’s charm and tweeted, “Good time with Coach Prime I appreciate the time & conversation with Coach Sanders today. #GoBuffs #AtkNup.” It’s now Clemson’s turn to prove themselves. 

And they have already done their part. While Tyler Atkinson was there on campus, the staff laid out the very detailed “AtkNup Plan,” something they designed specifically for him. In that way, Hugh Freeze is already late to the party. Now, we’ll see if Kirby Smart can make Atkinson a done deal.