By KACE KIESCHNICK, Tiger Rag Staff Reporter
Auburn junior linebacker Xavier Atkins was reportedly dismissed from the program Monday night and is no longer listed on the team’s roster. The LSU transfer in his second season in Auburn was suspended for the Tigers’ 27-24 win versus Georgia, and head coach Alex Golesh had no update on his status during his Monday press conference.
Atkins’s suspension was initially announced on the Monday leading up to Auburn’s trip to Georgia. Golesh did not announce the specific reason he was made unavailable but said it would be handled “in-house.” Atkins addressed his dismissal in a post on X early Tuesday morning.
“I have nothing but respect (for) Auburn University and will continue to support my teammates this season,” he wrote. “My focus is on my health, my family, and on finishing up the academic semester strong, and I’ll be entering the transfer portal at the appropriate time.”
Atkins committed to LSU as a three-star prospect out of Summer Creek High School in Humble, Texas in the class of 2024. He appeared in seven games and made three tackles as a freshman and transferred to Auburn for his sophomore season. There, he broke out as one of the Southeastern Conference’s top linebackers, leading the league with 17 tackles for loss and leading his team with 84 total tackles and nine sacks. He was named first team ALL-SEC and second team All-America for his performance.
He was again honored as an All-SEC selection this preseason and totaled 37 tackles, 7.5 tackles for loss, three sacks and an interception through five games this year.
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