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The Texas Longhorns quickly separate themselves amongst elite group for five-star defender, and a decision is in sight

Originally posted on A to Z Sports | By Ryan Roberts | Last updated May 28, 2025 6:12 PM ET

With the recent ascension of the Texas Longhorns program under head coach Steve Sarkisian, recruiting has also continued to trend upward. The Longhorns staff is busy putting together another tremendous class in 2026 as well. They have their eyes on an elite defender who just went back on the market.

After nearly a year of being committed to the USC Trojans, 2026 Gainesville (Ga.) High School linebacker Xavier Griffin opted to decommit from the program back on May 14th. The five-star defender has already set a new commitment date, opting for his next school on June 29th at 1:30 PM central time. Griffin will be selecting between the Longhorns, Ohio State, Alabama, and Florida State,

NEWS: 5⭐️ Xavier Griffin will announce his college commitment on June 29 at 1:30 p.m. CT.

No. 1 LB has official visits lined up with Alabama, Ohio State, Texas & Florida State.

Griffin is returning to Tuscaloosa (Ala.) from June 6-8.

https://t.co/k0GeJRowOp pic.twitter.com/Nt0TgN21o3
— Brett Greenberg (@BrettGreenberg_) May 28, 2025

As of today, the Crimson Tide are viewed as the potential leader for the Georgia standout. Texas is currently thought of as a dark horse, but they are a program you can never discount. They have several weeks, including an official visit on June 13-15 to try and close on Griffin.

The 6-3, 200-pound defender is one of the more versatile linebackers in the 2026 recruiting class. As a junior, Griffin was limited to just eight games due to injury. He still managed to collect 43 total tackles and six sacks. That comes off of a sophomore season where Griffin managed to record 54 total tackles and 15 sacks.

247Sports views Griffin as an elite player in the 2026 class. They have him rated as a five-star recruit, currently sitting as the No. 8 overall player, No. 1 linebacker, and No. 1 player from the state of Georgia. On the 247Sports Composite ranking, Griffin also rated as a five-star player, pegged as the No. 27 overall player nationally.

Outside of his finalists, Griffin has been pursued by a long list of impressive suitors. Some of those top offers include Notre Dame, Michigan, Oregon, Oklahoma, Tennessee, LSU, Ole Miss, Clemson, Auburn, Miami, Florida, Penn State, South Carolina, Kentucky, Nebraska, Texas A&M, and USC among many others.

This article first appeared on A to Z Sports and was syndicated with permission.

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