Auburn's Xavier Atkins Advances for Nation's Top Defender Award

Auburn Tigers linebacker Xavier Atkins has made a big impact in his first season after transferring from LSU.

Auburn Tigers LB Xavier Atkins is a finalist for the nation's top defender award. | Austin Perryman/Auburn Tigers

AUBURN, Ala.— Auburn Tigers sophomore linebacker Xavier Atkins has been named a semifinalist for the 31st Chuck Bednarik Award given annually to the Outstanding Defensive Player of the Year, the Maxwell Football Club announced Tuesday.

Atkins leads Auburn with 78 tackles, 15.5 TFL and 7.5 sacks. He leads the SEC in both tackles and tackles for loss. His 15.5 TFL are the second-best total in FBS.

He joined Auburn from the transfer portal last year after spending a season with LSU. A native of the appropriately named Humble, Texas, Atkins has already significantly outplayed the 3-Star designation he got from 247Sports as both a high school recruit and transfer from LSU.

The Houston native has led the Tigers in tackles in each SEC game this season, including three games with double-digit totals. He was named the SEC Co-Defensive Player of the Week and Bronko Nagurski National Defensive Player of the Week on Oct. 28 following his 13-tackle, 4.0-TFL, 2.0-sack performance in a win at Arkansas. 

Colorado defensive back Travis Hunter won the award a year ago, and no Auburn Tiger has ever won.

Semifinalist voting for both collegiate awards presented by the Maxwell Football Club will begin on Monday Nov. 17 and will close on Nov. 24. Three finalists for each award will be announced on Nov. 27, and a finalist round of voting will take place at that time. Eligible voters include Maxwell Football Club members, NCAA head football coaches, sports information directors, and selected national media. All semifinalists are listed in alphabetical order by school, with the player’s school, position, and class designated.

The winner of the 31st Chuck Bednarik Award will be announced as part of the ESPN Home Depot College Football Awards Show, which will be broadcast live on ESPN on Thursday, December 11, 2025. The formal presentation of the Chuck Bednarik Award will take place at the 89th Maxwell Awards Gala, which will be held on Saturday, March 14, 2026, in Atlanta, Georgia.