Xavier Atkins named one of top-10 impact transfers of the week

Auburn linebacker Xavier Atkins put together the best game of his career Saturday in the Tigers’ loss to Texas A&M. It earned him recognition from On3’s Pete Nakos, who listed Atkins as one of the top-10 transfer portal impact players of the week.

Nakos: Despite Auburn struggling to find success offensively on Saturday in College Station, the defense kept the Tigers in the game. Linebacker Xavier Atkins, who transferred in from LSU this offseason, posted 10 tackles, a sack, a forced fumble and returned an interception 73 yards. He’s up to three sacks on the season.

Atkins finished the day with 10 tackles, one sack, one forced fumble and a 73-yard interception return to continue his impressive start to the season.

“The reason I think he has success playing very well is the guy practices that way everyday,” said head coach Hugh Freeze.

Since joining Auburn out of the transfer portal, Atkins is shining as one of the Tigers’ starting linebackers. He leads the team in tackles with 29, is second on the team with three sacks and is one of two players on defense with two turnovers.

“He loves ball,” Freeze said. “He’ll get out of his gaps sometimes and make a mental error sometimes, but the one thing you never have to worry about is the effort and passion that he has for the game and for his teammates.”

Atkins kept Auburn’s hopes of upsetting Texas A&M alive in the fourth quarter with his interception of Marcel Reed. Instead of a gut-punching score from the Aggies, Atkins intercepted Reed and took it 73 yards to the Texas A&M 2-yard line.

Although the outcome of the game left more to be desired from Auburn, Atkins put the Tigers in a position to have a fighting chance.