Ohio State Predicted to Lose Elite 5-Star Recruit to SEC Powerhouse

Originally posted on Athlon Sports | By Nate Lunak | Last updated Jun 27, 2025 11:44 AM ET

After winning the national championship last year, the Ohio State Buckeyes continue to stay hot and so far this offseason have put together one of the best 2026 recruiting classes in the nation, ranking No. 5.

It's clear they're not done yet either, and one of the biggest names they still have their eyes on is linebacker Xavier Griffin out of Gainesville, Georgia.

His decision is set to be announced on Sunday, as the linebacker is choosing between the Buckeyes, the Alabama Crimson Tide, the Florida State Seminoles and the Texas Longhorns, all of whom he's had official visits with.

Unfortunately for Ohio State, things aren't looking too good to come out on top, because on Friday, On3's Andrew Bone logged an expert prediction for Griffin to land with Alabama.

This outcome would be a big win for Alabama and an equally difficult loss for Ohio State, as On3 Industry Rankings place him as a five-star recruit, the No. 2 linebacker, the No. 3 player in Georgia and the No. 27 player in the nation.

Over the past two seasons, Griffin has put up impressive numbers for Gainesville High School, accumulating 95 tackles, 33 tackles for loss, 14 sacks, seven hurries, two pass deflections and three forced fumbles in 22 games.

However, the Buckeyes have already landed several commitments from other linebackers in this year's cycle, in the form of four stars Cincere Johnson and CJ Sanna, meaning they still have solid talent at the position.

On the other hand, for Alabama, Griffin would be their first linebacker and would add nicely to their class, which currently has 12 commitments, ranking No. 4 in the SEC and No. 8 in the nation.

This article first appeared on Athlon Sports and was syndicated with permission.

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