There was a time when the word “committed” was the biggest answer in the recruiting trail. If a player was committed to a program, it’s a seal deal. However, given the current scenario, the players would rather follow a ‘No feelings are final’ kind of approach. Right now, for this, a player has to pay a heavy cost.

That’s none other than USC Trojans 5-star commit Xavier Griffin. The linebacker has walked away from his commitment to the Big Ten giant. Did Griffin make the move on his own will? Maybe. Maybe not. After all, Lincoln Riley’s program now follows a new rule. Either you are 100% committed and are closing the doors permanently, or you take the exit door. And guess what Griffin chose? Freedom.

Walking into the 2025 season, Coach Riley’s goal must be, ‘no more mess-ups.’ They had a disappointing first season in the Big Ten, in which they went 7-6 overall and 4-5 in conference games. While they were yet to wrap their heads around the trauma, then came the transfer portal. The Trojans have lost 23 players as of March. So, it’s obvious that Riley no longer wants any other players who are not sure about their commitment to the Trojans’ squad. And this somehow has influenced Griffin’s decision to move out. The 5-star recruit out of  Gainesville High School chose USC as it checked multiple boxes. During his commitment, Griffin pointed out USC’s defensive staff, who have prior experience in the pro league, which aligned perfectly with his long-term plans. However, the young chap had to tap on the ‘EXIT’ button. 

Griffin, the No. 29 overall recruit in the 2026 ESPN 300, has decommitted from USC on Wednesday, May 14. He had been pledged to the Trojans since July 2024. Going by the reports, Griffin’s decision to pull his pledge from USC stemmed from a desire to schedule official visits elsewhere. Now, this did not sit well with the Trojans’ policy. On the May 14 episode of the USC LAFB podcast, host Tim Prangley explored the situation in-depth. “USC is going with this new approach of like, ‘When you commit, that’s it. We don’t want you taking any more visits.’” For instance, 5-star offensive lineman commit Keenyi Pepe and 3-star commit Malik Brooks have followed the norms. Whereas Griffn is in the mood to explore a little more. 

It’s not that he was super sure that he would be committing somewhere else. As Prangley hinted at a possibility. “He may end up going through the whole process and come December or come fall be like ‘You know what, no I want to be at USC like what they offered is great’ and then recommit.” However, by then Griffin must have already lost Riley’s interest, who by then has pursued multiple others. So, this will make the whole process of winning USC’s trust back a lot harder, and his fate will depend on some other guy’s decommitment. Now what’s next for Griffin? 

College football powerhouses are jumping in to land Xavier Griffin

Well, Alabama Crimson Tide head coach Kalen DeBoer must be too happy right now. After all, Griffin has been one of the top defensive targets on Alabama’s recruiting board. And the linebacker can’t wait to hit the road. Griffin is expected to take several official visits this summer, most notably to Tuscaloosa on June 6. However, some other programs might also have an edge in landing Griffin. Being a native of Gainesville, Georgia, the 6-foot-3, 200-pounder is likely to be a hot target for Kirby Smart and co.

Griffin has shown the ability to both rush the passer and play as an off-ball linebacker, dropping back into coverage if needed. He had a fabulous junior season in 2024. The young chap compiled 43 total tackles, 13 TFLs, 6.0 sacks, and a forced fumble in only eight appearances. This must be leaving Smart with excitement. After all, Bulldogs were one of the first major programs to offer Griffin, but have not yet had an official visit scheduled with him.

Given that Griffin is an in-state prospect and is one of the highest-ranked linebackers in this year’s class, it is almost a guarantee that Georgia will go to any lengths to make it successful. Will that be easy? Absolutely not. FSU Seminoles are into the mix, working to upgrade their linebacker recruiting. They have one linebacker committed in Karon Maycock, but they need one more. The dates to keep an eye on are Ohio State on May 30, Alabama on June 6, Texas on June 13, and Florida State on June 15. Let’s see which way Xavier Griffin heads.