BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – Auburn linebacker Xavier Atkins earned First Team All-SEC honors while the league’s coaches voted defensive linemen Keldric Faulk and Keyron Crawford and running back Jeremiah Cobb to the Third Team, the Southeastern Conference announced Tuesday.
The Tigers’ first First Team All-SEC linebacker since Deshaun Davis in 2018, Atkins, a sophomore from Houston, Texas, delivered elite production throughout his breakout season, leading Auburn with 84 tackles, an SEC-best 17 tackles for loss and nine sacks.
The 6-foot, 210-pounder recorded a career high 13 tackles in Auburn’s road win at Arkansas, one of two games in which he made four tackles for loss, the first to do so since Stanley McClover in 2005. He had two-sack games against Ball State, Missouri and Arkansas.
Atkins returned an interception 73 yards against Texas A&M, forced fumbles against A&M and Arkansas, and recovered a fumble against South Alabama.
Atkins’ 17 TFL are the most in a season by an inside linebacker at Auburn and the most by an underclass defender since Antonio Coleman recorded 18.5 TFL in 2007. His tackle and sack totals ranked third in the SEC.
Thirteen of Atkins’ tackles for loss came in SEC play, tops in the league.
Faulk, a 6-6 junior from Highland Home, Alabama, made 29 tackles, five tackles for loss and two sacks.
In three seasons on the Plains, the 2025 team captain has compiled 109 tackles, 19.5 TFL and 10 sacks.
Crawford, a 6-4 senior from Memphis, Tennessee, registered 36 tackles, 9.5 tackles for loss and five sacks while recording a forced fumble, fumble recovery and interception.
Crawford regularly affected quarterbacks, ranking fourth in the SEC with 43 pressures, according to Pro Football Focus.
Cobb turned in a career year in his first season as the featured back, totaling 969 rushing yards and five touchdowns on 175 carries. He ranked top six in the SEC in yards, attempts and yards per rush both overall and in league play.
Adding 11 receptions for 83 yards, Cobb's 1,052 all-purpose yards were good for top 10 in the league.