Auburn Dismisses Linebacker Xavier Atkins

Auburn has dismissed linebacker Xavier Atkins from the program. The move comes after Atkins was held out of the team's victory over then-No. 1 Georgia on Saturday. His status had remained unclear in the days following that contest.

Strong Prior Production

Atkins earned first-team All-SEC recognition in 2025 after leading the conference with 17 tackles for loss. He paced Auburn with 84 tackles and nine sacks that season and was selected to the league's preseason team by coaches ahead of the current year.

Current Season and Background

This year Atkins started four games and recorded 37 tackles along with three sacks and one interception. He began his career at LSU before transferring to Auburn and staying through the shift from coach Hugh Freeze to Alex Golesh spanning 2025 into 2026. As a third-year player he remains eligible for the NFL draft.