ATHENS, Ga. -- Go ahead and try to find an evaluation of John Atkins where the analyst does not tout the Georgia signee's athleticism. Just be prepared to search for a while.
It is not unusual for a major college football recruit to play multiple sports in high school. But it's highly unusual when that signee is 6-foot-3, 325 pounds and not only played football and basketball, but also started at goalkeeper for a soccer team that reached the state playoffs and placed sixth in his class in the shot put last week at the state track meet.
And while Georgia's coaches expect him to play nose guard when he arrives on campus, Atkins (Thomson, Ga./Thomson) has only one year of experience playing that position in a 3-4 defense. Before last year, he played offensive line and showed off that head-turning athleticism by catching passes at tight end.