Impressive 2026 Defenders Add New Offers

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Which impressive 2026 defenders earned new major offers this week?</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Prep Redzone ahs the details...</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='212311' first='Tyler' last='Atkinson'] – OLB – Grayson</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>An easy 5-star prospect who completely dominated last year as a sophomore, Atkinson is an elite pass-rusher who lived in the backfield last season for an outstanding Grayson Rams defense. At 6-foot-3 205-pounds, Atkinson is lightning-quick off the snap and knows how to attack the quarterback. His long, athletic frame allows him to shed blocks with ease, and with his ability to beat tackles with both power and speed, it's easy to see why this Gwinnett County defender holds offers from just about every major program in the country. His offer list continues to grow, and this week he earned another big one from Dan Lanning and the Oregon Ducks. He's coming off an incredible 2023 season where he lit up the stat sheet with 197 tackles, 25 TFLs and 10.5 sacks. There aren't many better defenders across the country, and as good as he was last year, look for Atkinson to continue his dominant ways as a junior this fall. He's an elite talent and one of the best pure pass-rushers across the South. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Anthony Davis - LB - Grayson</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>An outstanding young, versatile linebacker in Gwinnett County, this naturally athletic and promising sophomore defender out of Grayson is seeing his recruitment take off at the moment, earning new recent offers from Oregon, Michigan, Kansas, among others. He's a good-sized linebacker at 6-foot-2 195-pounds who already shows good instincts when reading the offense. He's an excellent down-hill linebacker who can be physical down in the trenches. He also has enough speed to run down the ball-carrier attempting to get to the edge. He plays hard, he's active, and does a good job of delivering a sound hit behind his pads. He looks the part, and he certainly put together some excellent film from last season. The offers are flowing in, and more are likely to come his way. As a sophomore last year, Davis made 67 tackles, six TFLs, 3.5 sacks and one INT. Look for those numbers to only increase next year as a junior. His best football is way ahead of him, and he's bound for a massive 2024 season this fall.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='910360' first='Xavier' last='Tiller'] - TE - Langston Hughes</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>A big, physical receiver who runs like a deer down the field, Tiller is an easy pass-catching tight end from Atlanta who holds almost every offer in the book right now. This Langston Hughes weapon has a Power Five frame already at 6-foot-4 210-pounds, making him an easy go-to option in the middle of the field for the Panthers offense. Now, he's reeled in another SEC offer from the new staff at Alabama. The Crimson Tide are looking to the peach state hard in the 2026 class, and Tiller is the latest Atlanta-area tight end to earn an offer from the reiging SEC champions. Tiller is a big target in the pass game who could be tough to bring down by just one defender. A multi-sport standout who can also make a big impact on the court, Tiller size, athleticism, and reliable hands make him easily one of the top TE prospects across the South in the 2026 class. As a sophomore last fall, Tiller caught 25 passes in nine games for 352 yards and seven touchdowns. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->