FSU is in the mix for a legitimate five-star player in the 2026 cycle. Those are words we haven't heard too much lately when it comes to the Noles and high school recruiting.
The staff received a shot in the arm when five-star linebacker Xavier Griffin announced his de-commitment from USC on Wednesday afternoon. Subsequently, he scheduled official visits to four places, and FSU will have the final visit as it stands.
Griffin hails from Gainesville, Georgia, just north of Atlanta and about a five-hour drive directly south to Tallahassee. Griffin is the No. 22 player and No. 2 linebacker nationally, standing 6'3" and 200 pounds.
FSU was the first Power Five school to offer Griffin in the summer of 2023. He has been on campus several times since, including two visits this spring. FSU is the only school he visited twice this spring among the schools where he scheduled official visits.
The fact that FSU was the first big school to offer and has the final visit is a testament to the groundwork laid by Mike Norvell.
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Do they have a legitimate shot to land him? As I've said with other recruits, it will come down to what the product on the field looks like this fall. If FSU looks respectable on the field, I think they'll do much better in recruiting than people think.
Right now, the coaches must plant those seeds of what's to come during the fall and if things come to fruition. It provides another of trust and belief in the direction of the program. I know FSU fans are frustrated with recruiting, but that's the play because other teams are using last year against them.
FSU has a solid linebacker room that should play well in Tony White's defense. It's a defense that values good linebacker play, so that should be another check on Griffin's list.
FSU's game against Bama could play a factor in this recruitment. If FSU looks better than most expect or somehow wins that game? That could be enough to put FSU over the edge on this one!