There are 97 days remaining until the back-to-back national champions, the Georgia Bulldogs, kickoff of their 2023 season against UT Martin.
Let’s take a look back at one of the best players in UGA history to rock the number 97.
John Atkins spent five years as a member of the Bulldogs from 2013-2017. The defensive tackle out Thomson High School in Thomson, Georgia, was redshirted during his freshman season. Throughout his four seasons on the active roster, Atkins recorded 81 total tackles, 3.5 tackles for loss, five pass deflections, and one fumble recovery. He was a member of Georgia’s 2017 team that came so close to winning the national title. Atkins had two tackles in the overtime loss to Alabama.
Atkins, at 6-foot-3 and 320 pounds, was signed as an undrafted free agent by the New England Patriots in April of 2018.
He was later cut at the end of the 2018 training camp. Shortly after his departure from New England, the Detroit Lions picked him up. He then spent some time with the Atlanta Falcons.
In February of 2022, Atkins was drafted in the 2022 USFL Draft by the Tampa Bay Bandits.
Atkins and his Tampa Bay Bandits teammates were all transferred to the Memphis Showboats after it was announced that the Bandits were moving to Memphis and becoming the Showboats.
According to sources the Tampa Bay Bandits of #USFL will be moving locations & changing names. They will be known as the Memphis Showboats moving forward. Showboats were a franchise established in ‘84 & are back. @TheUSFLNewsHub @usflnetwork @Newsusfl
— Tony Catalina (@Tony_Catalina) November 6, 2022
