Heading into the season, one of the highest traits that the Auburn Tigers are carrying on their shoulders is the strength and experience of their linebacker room.
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Led by Preseason All-SEC First Team athlete Xavier Atkins and joined by guys like Elijah Melendez, De’Marcus Riddick and Bryce Deas, the linebackers have a high bar to reach for in 2026.
Through preseason camp, the group has already grown closer together, even with all of the different personalities in the room.
“I think what you see from this group is it’s fun when you come into the room every day and you’ve got a bunch of different personalities, but all the same mindset, and I think that’s what we’ve seen from this group,” Wilson said.
That group of four recorded 138 of the defense’s 689 tackles in the 2025 campaign, accounting for approximately 20 percent of the takedowns in that span.
According to Wilson, this group now wants more, attempting to reach bigger and higher places with more chemistry on their side.
“I think that they’re all extremely competitive, extremely intentional with their process and what they’re trying to get out every single day,” Wilson said “(They) do a really great job of challenging us as coaches in terms of wanting knowledge, always wanting more, trying to understand not just the what and the why, but the how what we’re doing.”
With all of the different strengths that the linebacker room has on its side, there is a lot that Wilson and DJ Durkin can do in terms of scheming.
It’s something Wilson complimented the defensive coordinator on, saying Durkin has done a solid job of setting the linebackers up for success.
“Coach Durkin has done a phenomenal job of not just getting the right guys on the field and all these different packages, but making sure they’re in the right spots,” Wilson said. “It’s always about putting guys in position to have success based on what they do well, and or what we’re trying to take advantage of from the offense’s standpoint.”
The players know that they have been gifted with the ability to do a lot of different things, something they see as a strength.
Wilson said as the season gets into full gear, they will continue to grow. Having this mindset though is key, as they understand that many opportunities are going to show up as a result.
“They embrace it,” Wilson said. “They know that the more value that they bring, that the more value they create for themselves with the multiplicity in terms of the more positions they can play, the more opportunities they’re going to have.”
Auburn Undercover is an independent Auburn sports media company covering Auburn athletics, recruiting and insider news.
