Best Linebacker in the 2026 Cycle Commits to USC Trojans

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Five-star linebacker Xavier Griffin from Gainsville, Ga., committed to the USC Trojans on July 27. Per 247Sports, Griffin is the No. 1 linebacker in the 2026 recruiting cycle, the No. 1 prospect from Georgia and the No. 15 overall recruit in the United States.

USC co-defensive coordinator Eric Henderson was the primary recruiter responsible for securing Griffin's commitment.

Before committing to USC, Griffin received offers from Alabama, Georgia, Notre Dame and other top collegiate programs.

Xavier Griffin

Griffin is 6-foot-4 and weighs 205 pounds. As a sophomore at Gainsville High School in Georgia, Griffin had 52 tackles, 20 tackles for loss and 9 sacks. He also had 7 quarterback hurries, 2 pass deflections and 2 forced fumbles.

Griffin expressed exuberance about his commitment to USC: "I felt that I'm the biggest priority at USC," Griffin told On3. "The defensive scheme that they are building is world-class."

USC Trojans Focus on Defense

The Trojans have already received five commitments for 2026, including Griffin and 3 four-star defensive backs—Dominick Kelly (Bradenton, Fla.), Madden Riordan (Sierra Canyon High School, Calif.) and Brandon Lockhart (Loyola High School, Calif.) USC's 2026 class is now ranked third in the nation by On3, behind only Auburn and Penn State.

Coach Lincoln Riley stressed the strides his defensive staff is making on the recruiting trail. "I think, No. 1, there is a lot of excitement around what we're doing defensively right now," Riley said. "I mean, some of the things that have happened there ... are real and they're going to continue to happen. [O]nce [observers] get a chance to see our guys coach together, they get a chance to see the development and they get a chance to build relationships with our defensive coaches longer than just a couple of months, watch and see what happens."

The Trojans are also favored to land four-star linebacker Jadon Perlotte in the 2025 class.

Stay tuned to College Football Dawgs for further reporting on the USC Trojans and other exciting college football news.