Alabama football’s freshman 5-Star linebacker working to be versatile option in year 1

Photo via Alabama Athletics

Alabama football’s freshman and former five-star linebacker Xavier Griffin was seen working on getting off blocks and bending the edge in a recent workout session in a video posted by his mother.

Flying around in that sand!! Someone always working pic.twitter.com/UVeMgNeJd5

— Jay Clay (@bamamade87) May 19, 2026

The video highlights the way the Tide plans to use the Alabama native within its defense, and it has been no secret for a while.

“They told me I will be playing linebacker and the Wolf…I didn’t want to just play one position,” Griffin said when he was a recruit.

“They told me I will be playing linebacker & the Wolf…I didn’t want to just play one position.”

Alabama 5-Star LB commit Xavier Griffin joined “The Process” to discuss the Tide’s plan for him and more after shutting down his recruitment. https://t.co/T9y5tc2Zz1 pic.twitter.com/SV1nPsPoe2

— Justin Smith (@Jdsmith31Smith) July 26, 2025

Griffin spent a lot of time with the Tide’s inside linebackers during spring practice, but he also apparently spent some time with the Tide’s wolf linebackers as well. The wolf linebacker’s role in Kane Wommack’s defense is a unique one. The position is called upon to get after the quarterback, be strong against the run, excel at playing in space and even drop back in coverage at times.

Yhonzae Pierre shone as a wolf linebacker last season for the Tide, and he had some great things to say about Griffin while talking to Christian Miller on the Millers’ Edge before spring practice.

“Xavier Griffin, I like that guy; he’s been working his butt off,” Pierre said. “I had a little interview with him yesterday. I mean, he’s going to be one of the ones, he’s going to step up and be a good player for us.”

Alabama freshman linebacker Xavier Griffin hitting the sled while working with the Tide’s inside linebackers.https://t.co/QvWU0Mi0fq pic.twitter.com/XIKPN8Sqi0

— Justin Smith (@Jdsmith31Smith) April 7, 2026

Alabama showed flashes of what it will do with Griffin during its spring scrimmage. He lined up at inside linebacker at times, but some of his first snaps came as an edge rusher at 6-foot-3 and 222 pounds.

Didn’t take long for Xavier Griffin to get on the field to rush from the edge.

— Justin Smith (@Jdsmith31Smith) April 11, 2026

Griffin is a freshman to look out for this fall.