The Auburn football program has officially picked up their tenth commitment out of the transfer portal. Former LSU linebacker Xavier Atkins announced his pledge to the Auburn Tigers on Wednesday following his mid-week visit to the Plains.
A native of Humble, TX, Atkins was a 4-star out of high school and ranked as the #25 linebacker in his recruiting class. He was the #55 player out of Texas. He signed with LSU out of high school as a member of their 2024 recruiting class, and spent one year in Baton Rouge before hitting the portal. He logged 3 tackles as a true freshman and will have three years of eligibility remaining.
Auburn defensive coordinator DJ Durkin was a big factor in Atkins' decision to commit to the Tigers. While coaching at Texas A&M, Durkin recruited the Texas native hard, and the pre-existing relationship allowed him to convince the LB to join him on the Plains.
"We go way back from him recruiting me hard at A&M," Atkins said of Durkin, per Auburn Undercover. "That's my dog. He's one of the biggest factors why I'm here. He really told me what he can do for me and develop me as a linebacker. The people that he's coached, the pedigree, the background — it just shows everything. That was an ear-opener."
Heading into the 2025 season, the Tigers will return only three linebackers in Demarcus Riddick, Robert Woodyard Jr., DJ Barber, and Atkins will be a good addition to the group. Eugene Asante, Austin Keys, Dorian Mausi Jr. and Fa'Najae Gotay will all be out of eligibility.
"No other place feels like Auburn," Atkins said of his choice. "Auburn feels great and it feels like home here."
The NCAA transfer portal window opened on December 9 and will remain open until December 28.