A few months ago Georgia was in the thick of five-star linebacker Tyler Atkinson's recruitment. Atkinson is the No. 2 linebacker in the country and the third best player from the state of Georgia, so he is someone that UGA really wanted in their recruiting class. Unfortunately he chose to commit to Texas in July and that was the end of the story for UGA.
Georgia and Atkinson have not been linked to each other since he chose the Longhorns, and on Wednesday he officially signed with Texas. While doing so he rented a billboard 30 minutes outside of Athens to remind everyone that Georgia failed in his recruitment and that ditched the in-state schol to officially become a Longhorn.
Elite #Texas LB signee Tyler Atkinson's billboard is up just 30 minutes down the road from Athens. A big win over Georgia on the recruiting trail @Horns247 pic.twitter.com/cn5RDAXqBg
— Hank South (@HankSouth247) December 3, 2025
5-star Tyler Atkinson sends Georgia a message after signing with Texas
While it was a bit of a surprise to see Atkinson commit to Texas in the moment, he didn't do anything to create bad blood between him and Georgia. Sure UGA was upset that he decided to go elsewhere, but that's sometimes what happens in recruiting so there was no reason to be upset at him.
It's unlikely that Atkinson put this message on the billboard in hopes to rub it in Kirby Smart or anyone else's face at Georgia, but he knew what he was doing. He knew this would go viral on social media and everyone in the area who is a Georgia fan would see it and be reminded about he isn't going to UGA.
The good news for Georgia is that they will get a chance to play Atkinson for the first time in 2027. This will be their chance to get a little revenge, and if recent history tells anyone anything Georgia will emerge victorious for the fourth time since the Longhorns joined the SEC.