Unlocking the Secret That Could Change Everything You Thought You Knew

When it comes to recruiting, Alabama doesn’t just dip its toes in the water—they cannonball right in, making waves that ripple across the college football world. Just days after snagging five-star running back Ezavier “EJ” Crowell, the Crimson Tide pulled off yet another recruitment coup, landing five-star linebacker Xavier Griffin—a name that might make Ohio State, Texas, and Florida State fans raise an eyebrow or two. Now, here’s a kicker: Griffin initially pledged early allegiance to USC back in 2024, only to flip his script and commit to Bama, proving once again that in the recruiting game, nothing’s written in stone until it’s signed, sealed, and delivered. Griffin’s blend of size, speed, and versatility promises to spice up Alabama’s defense, and honestly, one can’t help but wonder: just how fast will he make the tide swell come fall? Dive into the full story to catch every thrilling detail. LEARN MORE.

The Alabama football program has made multiple splashes during the 2026 recruitment process. Alabama secured five-star running back Ezavier “EJ” Crowell among other top prospects over the past few days. Now the Crimson Tide have landed another huge players, one who decommitted from another big program.

Five-star linebacker Xavier Griffin has committed to Alabama, per Hayes Fawcett of On3.

Griffin stands at 6’4″ and 240lbs and hails from Gainesville, Georgia. He chose Alabama football over Ohio State, Texas, and Florida State.

“TGBTG Roll Tide!!,” Griffin told On3 on Sunday.

According to On3, Griffin ranks as the second best linebacker prospect in the 2026 recruiting class. He is also the third best prospect from the state of Georgia and the 27th overall prospect in the nation. Griffin currently attends Gainesville High School.

Griffin originally committed to USC back in July of 2024, which is quite an early commitment. News broke back in May that Griffin has decommitted from USC and was exploring his options among several Power four schools.

Griffin is another huge get for the Crimson Tide in the 2026 recruiting class.

What is Alabama football getting in linebacker Xavier Griffin?

But what kind of player is Griffin? And how will he fit in with the Crimson Tide?

According to Griffin’s scouting report from 247Sports, Griffin can play all over the defense.

“Multi-faceted defender with a top-flight testing profile that should offer both on- and off-ball linebacker as he can rush the passer and stack against the run while also dropping back into coverage,” Griffin’s scouting report reads. “Lanky and lean at this stage, but should undergo a major physical transformation in the coming years as he’s on the younger side for the grade and equipped with larger features.”

Griffin posses the talent to become an immediate contributor at a major program. He could see playing time early at Alabama.

“Fires out of both a two- and three-point stance in the blink of an eye and will get around obstacles with his slick agility and lateral quickness,” the scouting report continues. “Possesses true sideline-to-sideline range and will make stops in pursuit with his gap-closing burst. Must keep evolving and developing craft while improving play strength, but projects as a potential impact player in the Big Ten or SEC that can fit into a variety of different schemes with his athletic juice and alignment flex.”

Alabama fans must be excited to see Griffin in action later this fall.

The post Alabama football nabs 5-star ex-USC commit over Ohio State, Texas, Florida State appeared first on ClutchPoints.