Auburn dismisses All-American LB Atkins — SkimNews
Get the Sports newsletter
Daily sports — scores, transfers, the storylines from the leagues you actually follow. Free.
- Auburn dismissed All-American linebacker Xavier Atkins, who was suspended and did not travel to Athens for Saturday's win over Georgia, per 247Sports.
- Atkins, a junior with another year of eligibility and a former LSU transfer in his second Auburn season, wrote on social media early Tuesday that he intends to enter the transfer portal at the end of the semester.
- The 2026-27 transfer portal opens Jan. 4, 2027, and will remain open for 10 days.
- Atkins posted 37 tackles and three sacks in five starts this fall after last season's 84-tackle, 17-TFL, nine-sack campaign that led the SEC in tackles for loss.
- Coach Alex Golesh said Monday that Atkins' status was "undetermined" and that conversations would remain in-house, adding Riddick 'would imagine his role will continue to increase.'
- De'Marcus Riddick, returning from a shoulder injury suffered last season, is expected to be the next man up at linebacker in a unit that paired Atkins with Elijah Melendez this offseason.
Why it matters: Auburn loses its best defender mid-season just as it had built its front seven around him, and the 247Sports reporting notes he should be one of the top available defenders in the January portal if off-field issues are resolved — a direct risk to the Tigers' SEC defensive outlook and a major pickup opportunity for his next program.
Ask SkimNews
