The University of Georgia got a big boost defensively on Friday with the commitment of ESPNU 150 defensive tackle John Atkins (Thomson, Ga./Thomason)."I like the team chemistry and I liked that when you went down there they treat you like family," Atkins said. "I just wanted to be a part of that."Atkins, 6-foot-4 and 300 pounds, is new to the defensive side of the ball, but Thomson coach Milan Turner thinks Big John will be just fine in Athens."I think he'll do well and I think he's the kind of kid where he can play either side," Turner said. "He can play the nose in the 3-4 and he could play anything on either side of the ball, basically. He's just very athletic for a big man. He's the nose in our 3-4. We run a lot of the same stuff on a little smaller scale than what they run. I think he'll do great. I think his potential is tremendous, his upside is tremendous and I think he'll just get better and better as a player."Atkins knows he has his work cut out for him. "I use my hands as a tight end, so now I've gotta use my hands on defense," Atkins said. "I've gotta keep my pad level low and (work on) my ball get off. I never played defense. I played tight end last year. This is first year as a defensive player."Turner knows UGA got a potential difference maker in Atkins. The sky's the limit for the nation's No. 11 rated defensive tackle."We base out of the same thing, the 3-4 defense that Georgia runs, and he plays that nose," Turner said. "And he stays in there on all of our sets. He plays in our 50 look, he plays in our nickel look and he stays in there on our stack, our three-man front. He's so athletic, he's got the ability to be a great run stopper, but he can also pressure the quarterback. He's just got great athleticism and speed. He's not just a run down guy, he can stay in there and play."Atkins knew of his decision a few weeks ago, after his last trip to see the Bulldogs."I decided about two weeks ago when I left Georgia," Atkins said. "I really decided then in the car on the way back when I thought about it."Atkins was also impressed by UGA assistant coach Kirk Olivadotti, his primary recruiter."Coach O is straight up with you and down to Earth," Atkins said. "He'll tell you how it is."Atkins committed to Georgia over Georgia Tech, Auburn, and Alabama. The Bulldogs now have a dozen commitments.