Xavier Griffin is "One of Them Ones"

Alabama takes the field on Sunday, March 8, for the first of 13 practices it will have during spring practice. Leading the Tide's defensive front is redshirt junior linebacker Yhonzae Pierre, who finished 2025 as the Tide's sack leader (eight sacks).

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Before Alabama starts spring practice, Pierre joined former Alabama linebacker Christian Miller on The Miller's Edge on Tide 100.9, mentioning Alabama freshman early enrollee linebacker Xavier Griffin as a player to keep an eye on for the Crimson Tide.

"I feel like one of the freshmen can step up," Pierre said on Tide 100.9. "If we moving things around, I feel like one of the guys in the linebacker room can step up.

"Xavier Griffin, I like that guy. He's been working his butt off. I had an interview with him yesterday, he's gonna be one of them ones. He's going to step up and be a big player for us."

Griffin was a five-star signee for the Crimson Tide in the 2026 recruiting class from Gainesville, Georgia. During his senior season of high school football, Griffin totaled 96 tackles, 12 tackles for loss, 18 quarterback hurries, four sacks, two pass breakups, one interception, and one fumble recovery, and he was named a MaxPreps All-American. His contributions on defense helped Gainesville reach the Georgia Class AAAAA championship game.

Griffin is listed at 6-foot-3 and 200 pounds, but according to a family member on X, Griffin weighed in at 218 pounds in early February. Griffin has often been compared to former Alabama and current Philadelphia Eagles linebacker Jihaad Campbell, with Alabama head coach Kalen DeBoer drawing that comparison during his early signing day press conference in December.

"X [Xavier Griffin] is a guy who's a flex guy. I really see him as like a Jihaad Campbell," DeBoer said. "He's got some length, and he's gonna put on some good weight, and be versatile enough to go play on the edge and not have to necessarily sub in when you want to put him in spots to go get after the quarterback. Can't wait to have our defensive staff get their hands on him, and let him go to work."

To liken the comparison to Jihaad Campbell, Griffin will wear No. 11 with the Crimson Tide, which is the number Campbell wore during his final season in Tuscaloosa.

Wyatt Fulton is the Tide 100.9 DME and Brand Manager, primarily covering Alabama Crimson Tide football and men's basketball. For more Crimson Tide coverage, follow Wyatt on X (Formerly known as Twitter) at @FultonW_.