Auburn still does not have a timeline for Xavier Atkins.
Head coach Alex Golesh said Monday afternoon that there was no update on the status of the All-SEC linebacker, who was unavailable in Auburn’s upset of No. 1 Georgia on Saturday. Golesh said Auburn is still working through the situation, but he does not have an update right now.
“We're still working through it. We're continuing to work through it. I don't have an update right now.”
Atkins was asked about after the Georgia game, and Golesh said Monday that the issue would be revisited this week. “We'll revisit it next week when we meet again on Monday, and [we'll] keep it in house.
And really that'll be the only piece of it that I'll be addressing. He won't be with us this week for the game on Saturday and won't be available, and then we'll revisit early next week when we meet again here.”
Golesh had said on Oct. 12 that Atkins would miss the Georgia game but declined to go into detail on why. He said the issue would be revisited on Monday.
Atkins has been one of Auburn’s most important defenders this season. The first-team All-SEC selection last season has stood out even as Auburn’s defense has struggled. Through five games, Atkins has racked up 45 total tackles, 29 of them solo, to go along with 5 1/2 tackles for loss, three sacks and the third-most solo tackles in Auburn single-season history.
According to Pro Football Focus before the Georgia game, Atkins had the second-most snaps of any Auburn defender with 355, and he was Auburn’s highest graded defensive starter.
Atkins was a star on DJ Durkin’s defense in 2024. He was a second-team All-American and first-team All-SEC pick in his first season at Auburn. He finished that season with 74 tackles, 15 tackles for loss and nine sacks and had the third-most solo tackles in Auburn single-season history.
With Atkins out, Auburn leaned on a linebacker unit led by Elijah Melendez and Bryce Davis, who combined for 15 total tackles in the win over Georgia.
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