Auburn Linebacker Out for Season With Shoulder Injury

The Auburn Tigers will enter the final two games of the 2025 season without one of their top sophomore defensive players.

Linebacker Demarcus Riddick is expected to miss the rest of the season after undergoing a shoulder procedure, Auburn Undercover’s Nathan King reported on Tuesday morning. He was seen in street clothes at Auburn’s practice with his left shoulder in a sling.

Riddick has been battling a shoulder injury since the spring, and according to King, he recently had a procedure done on his left labrum. His right labrum will eventually have to receive the same procedure.

After an impressive freshman campaign in 2024, the former four-star hasn’t made as much of an impact for the Tigers this season as he did a year ago.

Riddick recorded 27 total tackles, including three sacks, and one pass deflection in his first year on the Plains. In 2025, the sophomore has only posted 13 tackles and one sack through 10 games.

While Riddick hasn’t been as effective, Auburn’s linebacker play has also significantly improved from last season, as LSU transfer Xavier Atkins has emerged as one of the best linebackers in the country. Atkins boasts 73 tackles, including 7.5 sacks, two forced fumbles, and one interception that he almost returned for a pick-six against Texas A&M.

With Riddick out, D.J. Durkin and company will look to Xavier Atkins, Robert Woodyard Jr., and freshman Elijah Melendez to continue to perform at a high level. Riddick’s injury doesn’t spell much change in the rotation, but a shift in availability is always something to keep an eye on.