ATLANTA — A former UGA star, Super Bowl champion and Georgia native hosted a reading event with hundreds of students in Atlanta on Monday morning.

Georgia Reads held the Reading Rally with more than 300 students as a part of Georgia Reads Day. Valdosta native Malcolm Mitchell, who starred at the University of Georgia, led the rally.

Mitchell teamed up with First Lady Marty Kemp for a new children’s book, earlier this year.

Officials said this event is intended to emphasize the importance of improving Georgia’s childhood and adult literacy rates.

The event was held at the College Football Hall of Fame in downtown.

Mitchell was drafted by the New England Patriots in the fourth round of the 2016 season.

He was a valuable member of the Patriots’ explosive offense that also included star receivers Julian Edelman, Danny Amendola, and Chris Hogan, with tight ends Rob Gronkowski and Martellus Bennett.

His career was cut short due to multiple knee injuries, however, he has since written multiple books.

Mitchell helped the Patriots defeat the Atlanta Falcons in Super Bowl 51 after trailing by 28-3 late in the third quarter. He had six catches for 70 yards, and converted four of them into crucial first downs.