Top five-star linebacker confirms to Dan Lanning exactly what the Oregon Ducks expected to hear from his commitment announcement
The Oregon Ducks had an intriguing recruiting pitch to five-star linebacker Tyler Atkinson, but it wasn't a marriage meant to be. The Georgia native opted to leave the Peach State, but it wasn't for the Bulldogs. Instead, he'll stay in the SEC to attend Texas. The Ducks hoped they could lure in the 215-pound defensive […]
The Oregon Ducks had an intriguing recruiting pitch to five-star linebacker Tyler Atkinson, but it wasn't a marriage meant to be. The Georgia native opted to leave the Peach State, but it wasn't for the Bulldogs. Instead, he'll stay in the SEC to attend Texas.
The Ducks hoped they could lure in the 215-pound defensive playmaker with the lure of a strong NFL pipeline and relationships that went beyond the football field. Unfortunately, the Ducks were longshots for a reason, and Atkinson revealed what led him to Texas instead.
Lanning and company would've been over the moon if they would've pulled another five-star after recovering from a slow start to summer, but there's not much else they seemingly could've done.
Atkinson had previously gushed over his visit to Oregon earlier this summer.
“I really don’t have any words to describe the feeling from this visit other than, ‘They really believe in me … The entire visit was an experience from beginning to end. I love the “AtkNup Plan” for me and the love they showed my family … We had a lot of great experiences that were non-football … Coach Tosh showed me some new fishing tips. Coach Lanning helped get my golf swing right, and Coach B-Mike always fed my football appetite. They did everything they could to show me how much I belonged, and I felt it.”
Atkinson went on The Pat McAfee Show on Tuesday to make his decision and explain what connected him to the program.
“What really chose me to go to Texas is the coaches, the relationship piece. The atmosphere,” Atkinson said. “I feel like it encompasses everything I want at Texas. The way they’re going to have me playing is the best fit.”
Luckily, Oregon is one of only three programs with at least three five-star commits. Alabama has four while the Ducks and Longhorns are tied with three.
We'll see how Lanning and company recover as football activities start up soon and the season gets underway. In-season visits could still swing a ton of races.
