He is best known for his roles as Dr. Michael Gallant on ER (2001–2006), FBI Agent Clinton Jones on White Collar (2009–2014), and Captain Norman 'Boom Boom' Gates on NCIS: Hawaiʻi (2021–2024).

While at Northwestern in 1996, Atkins was initiated as a member of the Kappa Alpha Psi fraternity (Theta Chapter).

He gained fame for his role as Dr. Michael Gallant, a character that debuted in the eighth season (2001) of the NBC medical drama ER.

[5][6] Atkins continued to make guest appearances in both the 2004–2005 and 2005–2006 seasons of ER, with his character returning on leave from duty in Iraq as a U.S. Army physician.

[2] He has appeared as Assistant United States Attorney Rivers in the CBS drama The Good Wife.