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%*) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| 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 | |
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| Average rating of opposition Offense player has faced | ||
| Offense Rating: |
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75% |
| Click the links below to view how player ranks vs other prospects. | ||
| Tackling: |
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66% |
| Pass Rush: |
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96% |
| Run Defense: |
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70% |
| Coverage: |
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68% |
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DRAFT PROJECTION:
3rd
Overall Rank:
#81
Position rank:
#14 (LB)
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| College Games: 17 College Snaps: 743 | ||
ESPN RATING: 80/100
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247 RATING: 89/100
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RIVALS RATING: 5.8 (95%)
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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
- Rare timed speed and burst for the position, a true field-flyer
- Elite pressure production, 10 sacks and a conference-leading 17 tackles for loss
- Dynamic blitzer with the closing burst to finish at the quarterback
- Ball production and splash, a 73-yard pick-six against Texas A&M
- Sideline-to-sideline range to chase plays down from the back side
- Two-sack games against Arkansas and Ball State show the disruption
Scouting Report: Weaknesses
- Undersized at 210 pounds, gets swallowed when blockers reach him
- Coverage reps lag the blitz work, can be exposed matching in space
- Aggressiveness leads to missed tackles, 13 on the season
- Take-on skills are a work in progress against SEC guards
Scouting Report: Summary
Xavier Atkins went from an LSU afterthought to one of the SEC's most disruptive defenders in a single season. After three tackles in seven games at LSU, he transferred to Auburn and exploded for 84 tackles, a conference-leading 17 tackles for loss, 10 sacks and a 73-yard pick-six against Texas A&M, earning First-Team All-SEC and multiple All-American nods. With rare timed speed he flies to the ball, and as a blitzer he has the closing burst to finish, with two-sack games against Arkansas and Ball State on the tape.The concern is size. At 210 pounds he gets swallowed when guards climb to him, his take-on skills are still developing, and his aggressiveness produced 13 missed tackles. His coverage also lags the blitz work, so he can be exposed matching in space.
He fits an attacking defense that weaponizes his speed on the blitz and lets him run and chase rather than asking him to stack and take on blocks between the tackles. Overall, Atkins projects as a starting-caliber movement linebacker and designated blitzer whose speed and production are Day 2 traits, with the questions centered on holding up at his weight. A team that plays fast and blitzes its linebackers is getting a difference-making rusher off the second level, and the return production says the breakout was no fluke.
How other scouting services rate Xavier Atkins (Overall Rank)
All Scouts AverageOverall Rank
81.0
All Scouts AveragePosition Rank
14.0
*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.