Grayson Atkins

Position:
Place-Kicker
Height:
5-9
Weight:
200
Class:
Graduate Student
Hometown:
Boiling Springs, S.C.
High School:
Boiling Springs/Furman

Career
In two seasons at Carolina, made 31 field goals (10th in school history) and all 115 PATs, the fifth most in program history • Set program record with a 100.0 percent conversion rate on extra points (minimum 60 attempts) • His 19 made field goals in 2021 are tied for the fifth most in a single season.

2021 – Senior Season
Starting place-kicker in all 13 games • Made 14 straight field goals to close out the season • Converted 19 of 23 field goal attempts, including 17 of 18 inside 50 yards • Made two 50+ field goals, one short of equaling school record • Made all 52 PAT attempts, tied for the fifth most in a single season at UNC • Converted a 31-yard field goal and one PAT attempt in season opener at Virginia Tech • Made 1 of 2 field goals and all seven PATs against Georgia State • Made all eight PATs and was 1 of 2 on field goals against Virginia • Converted a 28-yard field goal and made all five PATs against Duke • Made a season-long 51 yard FG and both PATs against Florida State • Made all six PATs and was 1 of 2 on field goals against Miami, converting a 48-yard FG • Made two field goals and added four PATs at Notre Dame • Converted all seven PATs and was 3 of 3 on field goal attempts against Wake Forest • Made both PAT attempts and sent the game into overtime at Pittsburgh with a 20-yard field goal with 57 seconds left in regulation • Was perfect on the day against Wofford with a pair of field goals and four extra points • Was 3 of 3 on field goal attempts and 3 of 3 on PATs at NC State • Converted two field goals and one PAT against South Carolina at the Duke’s Mayo Bowl.

2020 – Senior Season

Starting place-kicker in all 12 games in his first season at North Carolina • Made all 63 PAT attempts • The 63 PATs were the second most in a single season at UNC • Made a season-high eight PATs on four occasions against Virginia Tech, Duke, Wake Forest and at No. 9 Miami • Converted 12 of 18 field goal attempts, including 9 of 11 inside 40 yards • Connected on 10 of his final 12 FG attempts of the season • Made a 31-yard field goal and was a perfect 4-for4 on PATs against Syracuse • Made a pair of FGs and all six PATs against NC State • Connected on 2 of 3 FGs, including a season-long 51 yarder at Virginia • Made a 42-yard FG and both PATs against No. 2 Notre Dame • Knocked in 2 of 3 field goals at No. 9 Miami • Made two field goals in the Orange Bowl versus Texas A&M.

2018 - At Furman
Named first-team AFCA FCS Coaches’ All-American and earned All-America honors from the Associated Press and STATS FCS • A consensus first-team All-SoCon selection • Converted 13 of 15 field goal attempts and was 48 of 50 on PATs • Went 7 of 9 from 40 or more yards including a 55-yardey • Set a Furman and Southern Conference record by making 18 consecutive field goals in a streak that began in 2018 • Finished his career with 231 points to rank 10th on the school’s career scoring list and fifth on the kick scoring list • Also earned second-team All-SoCon honors as a punter after averaging 43.5 yards per punt • Recorded 39 touchbacks on 77 kickoffs • Named to Street and Smith’s Preseason All-America team.

2018 - At Furman

Earned consensus first team All-Southern Conference honors in voting by head coaches and media, and also second team Associated Press All-America laurels • Converted 11-of-13 field goals, including his final 11 attempts • four of his field goals covered 50+ yards • His two missed field goals (vs. Elon) were from 48 and 50 yards • Converted 29-of-33 extra point attempts to lead the team in scoring with 62 points • Was the SoCon’s top multi-purpose specialist who also averaged 42.8 yards on 47 punts (4th in SoCon) and 60.6 yards on 55 kickoffs, leading the league by far with 29 touchbacks • Collected SoCon Special Teams Player of the Week honors three consecutive weeks • Named STATS National Special Teams Player of the Week after kicking four field goals, including efforts from 27, 50, 51, and 53 yards, versus Samford on Oct. 20 — the three makes from 50+ yards representing the first by a Division I player in a game since 2006 (Sam Swank of Wake Forest) and first by an FCS player since Jesse Garcia from Louisiana-Monroe vs. McNeese in 1983 • The 53-yarder is the third longest in Furman history...Had a career long 81-yard punt against The Citadel (third longest in Furman history) • Named to the SoCon Academic Honor Roll.

2017 - At Furman
Handled all PATs and field goals and earned SoCon All-Freshman Team honors in voting by league head coaches • Tallied 82 points, converting all 55 PAT chances and 9-of-13 field goal tries • 82 points marked the sixth highest season tally in program history • Paced the SoCon in kick scoring and ranked fourth in overall scoring • Made his first collegiate field goal attempt (20 yards) against Wofford in season opener • Went on to connect on six of his first seven field goal tries, including a pair of 46-yard attempts along with a 34-yarder against N.C. State • Named to the SoCon Academic Honor Roll.

Boiling Springs High School
2017 graduate of Boiling Springs (5A) High School • Handled kicking and punting duties • Converted 13-of-18 field goal attempts and was a perfect 62-for-62 on PATs as a senior • Helped Boiling Springs register a 13-2 record (best in school history), Region 3 title (first for Boiling Springs since 1965), Upper State Championship, and state runner-up finish, falling to Dutch Fork, 28-21, in title game • Kicked a school record 50-yard field goal and booted a game winning, 27-yard field goal in overtime to beat Spartanburg, 24-21 • Led all South Carolina kickers with 101 points in 2016 and received the South Carolina High School Sports Coverage Chandler Catanzaro’s Top Kicker in South Carolina Award • Two-time all-area, all-region, and all-academic selection during his prep career • Member of three state championship golf teams • Tecipient of Bradley Pinion Student Outreach Award for his Grayson Atkins Kick It To Cure Campaign that raised over $5,000 for pediatric cancer research • Coached by Rick Tate.

Personal
Son of Brian and Tonya Atkins • Birthday is March 30.