Greg McElroy Predicts Atkins Will Nab a Butkus
ESPN analyst Greg McElroy is boldly forecasting that Auburn linebacker Xavier Atkins will end this season as “arguably the most disruptive individual linebacker in college football,” even suggesting a potential Butkus Award run. After a breakout 2025 campaign with 84 tackles, nine sacks, and an SEC-leading 17.0 tackles for loss, Atkins enters 2026 as the centerpiece of DJ Durkin’s revamped four-man rotation. McElroy also cites the deep returning talent around Atkins—Demarcus Riddick, Bryce Deas, and Elijah Melendez—as a springboard for even greater on-field destruction.
If college football hype were a barbecue, Xavier Atkins would already be the rib—tender, juicy, and guaranteed to draw a line of hungry coaches. McElroy’s prediction that Atkins might actually snag the Butkus Award feels less like analysis and more like handing out participation trophies to unannounced gods. But hey, why not crown him king before the first snap of 2026? After all, if our collective expectations get high enough, maybe he’ll start hitting even harder in his dreams.
War Damn! Auburn’s Tease Stokes Crumb Craze
Auburn coach Alex Golesh dropped his signature “War Damn!” teaser just days before top target Knyair Crumb’s decision announcement. The three-star safety, ranked No. 48 nationally, is expected to pick the Tigers over Penn State, Syracuse, and Virginia Tech, with Rivals giving Auburn an 87% chance. This commitment would bolster an already top-10 recruiting class featuring eight four-stars and ten three-stars, including recent signee Chance Gilbert. While some speculate the teaser hints at a surprise recruit, it could simply mean Crumb has already made his choice privately, waiting for the official reveal.
Nothing says “I’m a college football coach” like cryptic tweets and all-caps slogans. Golesh’s “War Damn!” post has fans convinced the next superstar is about to hop on the Plains—because who doesn’t love a good mystery reveal? But perhaps the real headline is that Auburn’s class is so stacked they could skip Crumb and still out-recruit half the SEC. Then again, Lions and Tigers and Crumbs—oh my!
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