Insider explains why Lincoln Riley's USC are 'okay' with losing 5-star LB Xavier Griffin - "Don't think the sky is falling"
The USC Trojans' top-ranked class of 2026 took a hit on Wednesday as 5-star linebacker Xavier Griffin decommitted from the school, ESPN reported. For On3's Spencer McLaughlin, USC did the damage to themselves.
On Thursday in the "Locked On College Football" podcast, McLaughlin shared his thoughts on how losing the top linebacker in the class could affect Lincoln Riley's recruiting.
"The way it looks to me, with a 30,000-foot view, is USC did this to themselves and they are clearly okay with it," McLaughlin said (1:09). "Now, I understand where they are coming from. And I don't think the sky is falling for USC. Their class is not about to fall off a cliff. This is a pretty huge commitment."
The insider commended the Trojans for the way they've recruited this year, especially on defense, where he considered they had gotten some top-end talent. But the school's strict culture with recruits may have cost them a shot at landing the linebacker.
"Griffin was one of those (top) guys. He'd been committed to USC since July. But the reason I say USC kind of stepped on the rake and did this to themselves (is) the reports indicate they didn't want him taking visits elsewhere," McLaughlin explained. (2:02)
While it's the Trojans probably want to establish that USC deserves complete attention and commitment, commits visit schools sometimes with no other goal than to enjoy the recruitment experience.
Despite Griffin's decision to walk away, the Trojans still have the top-ranked class of 2026, with 27 commits, 17 of them 4-star recruits. The linebacker was the program's only 5-star commit.
USC is coming off a disappointing debut season in the Big Ten, finishing with a 7-6 record and a Las Vegas Bowl victory over the Texas A&M Aggies.
Xavier Griffin sets up visits after decommitting from USC
After walking back on his commitment to the Trojans, Xavier Griffin is likely to become one of the most sought-after prospects in college football. Griffin has booked four official visits, according to On3's Hayes Fawcett.
The talented linebacker will travel to Ohio State (May 30), Alabama (Jun. 6), Texas (Jun. 13) and Florida State (Jun. 15) in the next round of official visits. The 6-3, 200-pound linebacker has 37 offers already.
Griffin, a Gainesville, Florida, native, had 43 tackles and six sacks last season, but missed time due to injury. In 2023, he finished 54 tackles and 15 sacks.