The Auburn Tigers brought in a ton of new pieces this offseason after hiring Alex Golesh. The former South Florida head coach did inherit some strong talent, though, including linebacker Xavier Atkins. Unfortunately, things between Atkins and the new coaching staff have officially not worked out.
According to ESPN’s Pete Thamel, the Tigers have dismissed Atkins from their program. The news came out late Monday night. Atkins seemingly confirmed the news on early Tuesday morning, saying he had “nothing but respect [for] Auburn” but would be entering the transfer portal.
Atkins was suspended for the Auburn’s incredible upset victory over Georgia. Golesh never revealed the reason for his suspension, saying it was an “in-house” matter.
Atkins, a junior linebacker, transferred to the Tigers in 2025 after spending his freshman season with LSU. He led the SEC in solo tackles (60) and tackles for loss (17.0) last year. His nine sacks didn’t pace the conference, but were tops among Tiger defenders. In 2026, Atkins ranked second on the team in tackles for loss (7.5) and sacks (3.0), trailing only Elijah Melendez in both categories.
If Atkins enters the 2027 NFL Draft, he’s likely a day three selection. Auburn battles LSU on Saturday (12:00 p.m. ET, ABC).
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