Auburn Defensive Standout Named ‘Top Playmaker’ Ahead of 2026 Season

When one thinks of the defense of the Auburn Tigers, a few names may come to mind. Of course, DJ Durkin, the head of it all, is a name that could jump to the front of a Tiger fan’s brain, but when one thinks of Auburn defensive playmakers, star linebacker Xavier Atkins is often the first to come to mind.

That sentiment is not limited to just Tiger fans, either, as on Thursday, ESPN’s Adam Rittenburg put together a list of his top non-quarterback playmakers headed into the 2026 season, and Atkins found himself represented on that list.

“Auburn endured a tough 2025 season that led to a coaching change, but Atkins had a breakthrough performance after transferring in from LSU, and will remain on the Plains as the Alex Golesh era begins,” Rittenburg wrote. “He's a bit undersized at linebacker or edge but showed an explosiveness to reach the backfield and pressure quarterbacks. Atkins ranked third among linebackers in both sacks and tackles for loss per game (1.42).”

That is far from all Atkins was able to do in his first full season as a starter, as he managed to rein in Second Team All-America honors, First Team All-SEC honors, a nod as a Chuck Bednarik Award Semifinalist, a nod as Monday Morning QB Birmingham Club’s SEC Most Valuable Lineman and a SEC Co-Defensive Player of the Week and Bronko Nagurski National Defensive Player of the Week for his performance in the Tigers’ matchup with Arkansas.

Keep in mind, Atkins did all of this in just his first season of true SEC ball, as at LSU, he only recorded three tackles in his freshman campaign. Durkin clearly thought Atkins’ talent was far too great to pass on, and brought him to the Plains, where he flourished.

This upcoming season will be a big one for Atkins, who could potentially enter the NFL Draft at the end of the year, pending his production in 2026. Rittenburg projects Atkins to take a much larger role in the Tigers’ defense this year.

“The next step is being a headliner for a largely revamped Auburn defense,” he wrote, “which integrates several players who joined Golesh and the staff from South Florida as well as outsiders, such as linemen Cody Sigler and Da'Shawn Womack, and cornerback Andre Jordan Jr.”

Indeed, the Tigers are represented by quite a few newcomers this year, so players like Atkins, who have experience on the Plains, can and will make all the difference in how the unit performs this season. The Tigers’ coaching staff is confident that Atkins’ impact will be a positive one, both on and off the field.

"Xavier was obviously an All-American that is still young, that is still trying to figure out who he is and what it is to lead, what that really looks like," Auburn head coach Alex Golesh said. "He's a perfect fit for our system. His physicality has really grown."

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