BOOM! 🏈 Alabama Secures Top LB Xavier Griffin, Fueling an UNSTOPPABLE 2026 Recruiting Surge! Get the full story!

Griffin is Alabama’s highest-rated commit in the 2026 class, as well as the group’s second Top247 five-star talent.
Alabama football is sizzling on the recruiting trail after securing another huge commitment during a critical period for the 2026 season. Gainesville (Georgia) five-star linebacker Xavier Griffin joined the Crimson Tide’s burgeoning class on Sunday, choosing Alabama over Florida State, Ohio State, and Texas.

Griffin is now the highest-rated promise in Alabama’s 2026 class, with Marietta (Georgia) Sprayberry cornerback Jorden Edmonds, who is the group’s second Top247 five-star prospect.

According to 247Sports, Griffin, who stands 6-foot-3 and weighs 200 pounds, is the top linebacker and eighth overall prospect in the 2026 class. He had already committed to USC for nearly a year before resuming his recruitment in May.

Griffin paid his first official visit to Tuscaloosa in early June, and the Crimson Tide left an indelible mark. He followed it up with formal excursions to Texas and Florida State on consecutive weekends, as well as a visit to Ohio State in late May.
“It was a great time,” Griffin told Bama247 following the visit. “I guess my favorite part was how much affection the current players showed throughout the photo session. They were hyping us up. “That was awesome.”

Griffin developed relationships with both defensive coordinator Kane Wommack and outside linebackers coach Christian Robinson.

“I actually spent more time with Wommack this trip just because I spent a lot of time with [Robinson] during the spring,” according to Griffin. “Coach Wommack frequently discussed employing me in different places due to my versatility and athletic abilities. He’s heated up and wants to instruct me.

With Griffin on board, Alabama currently has 14 pledges for its 2026 class. Just before the summer dead period for visits began, the Crimson Tide was below the top 40 nationally in the team recruiting rankings for this current cycle, which was unusual for a program that had 10 (!!) No. 1 classes during the Nick Saban era.

But after adding Griffin and six other pledges in the past week, including top-100 prospects Mack Sutter, a four-star tight end from Dunlap (Illinois), and Ezavier Crowell, a four-star running back from Jackson (Alabama), Alabama has risen to No. 8 in the national rankings, signaling a significant shift in momentum under coach Kalen DeBoer.

The Crimson Tide may not be done yet. Two more five-star prospects, wide receiver Cederian Morgan (July 2) and safety Jireh Edwards (July 5), are expected to reveal their college decisions in the coming days. Both paid formal trips to Alabama in June, and the Tide remain solidly in the running for both.