An Ohio State football helmet next to the field at Ohio State while Buckeyes football players warm up. Lori Schmidt / Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK

Ohio State Buckeyes' Elite 5-Star Recruiting Target Sets Commitment Date

Originally posted on Ohio State Buckeyes on SI
By Dylan Feltovich | Last updated May 28, 2025 3:30 PM ET

Ohio State Buckeyes' head coach Ryan Day is currently in a heated battle for yet another impressive five-star recruit for his 2026 class. After the National Championship-winning coaches run in the month of April, Day is looking to regain the momentum in June with multiple highly-touted prospects in June.

On3Sports' Hayes Fawcett reported on Wednesday that five-star linebacker Xavier Griffin has set his commitment date for Jun 29.

BREAKING: Five-Star LB Xavier Griffin will announce his Commitment on June 29th, he tells me for @on3recruits

The No. 2 LB in the ‘26 Class will choose between Alabama, Florida State, Texas, & Ohio State

He recently decommitted from USC https://t.co/lpmmbnDvOy pic.twitter.com/JCm9KYCC5H
— Hayes Fawcett (@Hayesfawcett3) May 28, 2025

As the No. 2 linebacker prospect in the 2026 class, Griffin is easily one of the most talented defenders in the current recruiting cycle. He was originally committed to USC, however, he recently decommitted from the Trojans and will pick between the Buckeyes, Florida State, Alabama and Texas.

Griffin has dominated in his last two season at Gainesville High School in Georgia, tallying 97 tackles, 21 sacks and 3 forced fumbles during the stretch. At 6-foot-3, 200 lbs, Griffin has the perfect build for an off-ball linebacker at the next level, along with high-end athletic traits.

Day and his coaching staff are actively pursing the outstanding playmaker, as he is set to take an official visit to Columbus on May 30. The Buckeyes' 2026 class only features one linebacker in three-star CJ Sanna, which Griffin a high-priority for the program. But the competition for Day and company looks to be the Crimson Tide, as Dawgs 247 writer Benjamin Wolk gave Griffin a crystal ball prediction to Alabama.

This article first appeared on Ohio State Buckeyes on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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