Xavier Atkins LB Auburn |
NFL Draft Profile & Scouting Report
| Jersey: #17 PLAY STYLE: MULI-ROLE LB | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Last Updated: 08/30/2026 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Draft Year: 2027 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| FORTY time: 4.45 seconds (97%*) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Jersey: #17 | |
| PLAY STYLE: MULI-ROLE LB | |
| Last Updated: 08/30/2026 | |
| Draft Year: 2027 | |
| Forty time: 4.45 seconds (97%*) | |
| Overall Rating: | 84.9 / 100 | |
|---|---|---|
| Average rating of opposition Offense player has faced | ||
| Offense Rating: |
|
73% |
| Click the links below to view how player ranks vs other prospects. | ||
| Tackling: |
|
61% |
| Pass Rush: |
|
97% |
| Run Defense: |
|
69% |
| Coverage: |
|
67% |
|
DRAFT PROJECTION:
3rd
Overall Rank:
#96
Position rank:
#14 (LB)
|
||
| College Games: 18 College Snaps: 831 | ||
ESPN RATING: 80/100
|
||
247 RATING: 89/100
|
||
|
RIVALS RATING: 5.8 (95%)
|
||
| Player Comparison* (Similarity level) | ||
|---|---|---|
| Harold Perkins Jr. - LSU |
|
62% |
| Jordan Magee - Temple |
|
61% |
| Micah McFadden - Indiana |
|
61% |
Draft Profile: Bio
Atkins arrived at Auburn as an LSU transfer who had barely played, appearing in seven games with just three tackles for the Tigers. He made an immediate impact on the Plains in 2025, turning into one of the SEC's most disruptive defenders.He posted 84 tackles with a conference-leading 17 tackles for loss and 10 sacks, adding two forced fumbles, 11 quarterback hurries and a 73-yard interception return for a touchdown against Texas A&M. The production earned him First-Team All-SEC honors from the coaches and AP, along with Walter Camp and FWAA All-American recognition.
A 6-foot, 210-pound linebacker with rare timed speed, Atkins was a blitzing, sideline-to-sideline force in Auburn's front, with two-sack games against Arkansas and Ball State among his signature efforts. He announced he would return to Auburn for the 2026 season. The one-year breakout ranks among the more productive single seasons by an SEC linebacker in recent memory.
Scouting Report: Strengths
- Explosive, twitchy linebacker with rare speed and burst to the ball
- Elite blitzer whose timing and get-off produced ten sacks off the second level
- Fills fast and plays bigger than his frame as a downhill run defender
- Racked up 51 run stops, disrupting plays behind the line
- Sudden trigger that lets him beat blockers to the spot
- Splash all over the field, adding two forced fumbles and an interception
- Chase speed to run down plays from the backside
Scouting Report: Weaknesses
- Light, undersized frame that bigger blockers can wall off
- Coverage reads trail his athletic tools when matched on running backs
- Aggressiveness leads to missed tackles when he arrives out of control
- Take-on strength at the point can get overwhelmed by size
Scouting Report: Summary
An explosive, blitz-heavy linebacker at Auburn, Atkins is one of the more disruptive downhill defenders in the class, with rare speed and a sudden trigger to beat blockers to the spot in the SEC. His calling card is pressure; he timed up ten sacks off the second level and added 51 run stops, forcing plays into the backfield from all over the formation, and his chase speed lets him run down plays from the backside.However, his light, undersized frame is a real concern, as bigger blockers can wall him off at the point, and his coverage reads lag his athletic tools when he is asked to cover running backs in space. His aggressiveness also leads to missed tackles when he arrives out of control.
Overall, Atkins projects as a sub-package blitzer and run-and-chase linebacker whose speed and backfield disruption are the draw, with a full-time role tied to holding up at the point and tightening his coverage. He fits an attacking defense that can send him on timed pressures and let him play in space rather than take on blocks head-on, and a coordinator who wants to weaponize a fast, disruptive linebacker will love the film. The disruption is worth drafting for; the frame and coverage are what stand between him and a starting job.
How other scouting services rate Xavier Atkins (Overall Rank)
All Scouts AverageOverall Rank
78.0
All Scouts AveragePosition Rank
13.0
*Percentile Ranking in Player's Position Group (NFL Combine Historical Data): This percentile reflects how a player's specific statistics rank
in comparison to historical performances at the NFL Combine, specifically within their position group. A higher percentile indicates a better performance.
For instance, being in the 90th percentile for a particular stat means the player outperformed 90% of their peers in that category.
*Similarity Percentage: This percentage is calculated based on a comprehensive analysis of various factors, including height, weight, 40-yard dash times, on-field performance statistics, and overall player rating. The analysis is conducted against our database of draft prospects from 2021 to 2023. This similarity score helps in evaluating how closely a current prospect aligns with past prospects. It is important to note, however, that this score reflects similarities based on college production and attributes, and does not account for eventual success or performance in the NFL.
*Similarity Percentage: This percentage is calculated based on a comprehensive analysis of various factors, including height, weight, 40-yard dash times, on-field performance statistics, and overall player rating. The analysis is conducted against our database of draft prospects from 2021 to 2023. This similarity score helps in evaluating how closely a current prospect aligns with past prospects. It is important to note, however, that this score reflects similarities based on college production and attributes, and does not account for eventual success or performance in the NFL.