Georgia Bulldogs 5-Star LB Target Tyler Atkinson Lands Major Adidas NIL Deal
The Georgia Bulldogs have been all-in with their pursuit of in-state 2026 five-star linebacker Tyler Atkinson. As of right now, most predictions have him choosing to commit to the Bulldogs.
While he still has to make his final choice, the Bulldogs are feeling very good about their situation.
On3 has Atkinson ranked as the No. 1 linebacker in the entire nation for the 2026 class. He is also ranked as the No. 10 ranked prospect overall.
Ahead of deciding where he's going to play his college football career, Atkins has been making moves off the field.
According to a report from Fox 5 Atlanta, Atkinson has inked a major NIL deal with Adidas. He is one of the many high school athletes who are starting to get major deals with the new rules.
What does Atkinson plan to do with some of the money from his deal with Adidas? He wants to get his teammates new cleats for the upcoming high school season.
"My teammates, you know, they just want some cleats. So I'm gonna bless them with some cleats before the season to get them right and all that. It's gonna be good."
He also spoke out about the opportunity he has been given. It's clear that how big of a blessing he is receiving is not something to be taken for granted.
"Some people really want this, so for me to have it, it's good. It inspires young players to work hard so that can happen to them because you can get it now at a high school level."
Atkinson's coach also spoke out about the NIL deal and his excitement for the standout linebacker.
"To have that opportunity at a young age is a blessing. I see a kid every day that works for those kids. They get a chance to go and be exposed or get rewarded for the things that they do. I'm all for that."
Getting such a big deal done so early could also help prepare Atkinson for the next level. He spoke out about how this move will give him an advantage heading into college football.
"They'll be asking questions on how it works and all that. Wherever school I go to, that's going to be the biggest thing. I'm always going to try to open up more opportunities for NIL. College offers a way bigger opportunity for NIL, so that's what I'm really working on."
It will be interesting to see where Atkinson chooses to play college football. Georgia seems like a good bet, but there are many other schools recruiting him.
No matter where he goes, the five-star linebacker is already beginning to set himself up for success and is keeping a great mindset about everything moving forward.
EVAN MASSEY
Evan Massey is a sports reporter and analyst who covers both the NFL and NBA. He has worked for ESPN, Yahoo! Sports, Forbes, Bleacher Report, NFLAnalysis.net, NBAAnalysis.net, and many other publications. In his free time, Evan enjoys spending time with his wife and son.