Georgia continues to trend as top school for Five-Star Plus+ DL Elijah Griffin

There’s arguably not a prospect in the country who sits higher on Georgia’s recruiting wishlist than Savannah (Ga.) Five-Star Plus+ defensive lineman Elijah Griffin.

2025 is arguably the most loaded class in recent memory in the Peach State, and Griffin is the cherry on top of that group as a can’t-miss prospect.

The 6-foot-5, 290-pounder is in no rush in his recruitment, previously telling On3’s Chad Simmons that he plans to take his process into his senior season. He dropped a list of 12 top schools early last month, a list that included Alabama, Clemson, Colorado, Duke, Florida, Georgia, Louisville, LSU, Miami, Oregon, South Carolina and USC.

Griffin has been steadily visiting programs on that list, and has upcoming visits to both Oregon and Colorado on the docket. The On3 Recruiting Prediction Machine (RPM) favors the Bulldogs over, and Simmons says his intel points to UGA as the favorite still.

“I still think it starts with the University of Georgia,” Simmons said Wednesday during On3’s Inside Scoop recruiting show. “It’s the in-state school he’s visited more than 10 times. He’s had his family up there, including his grandmother. He is a kid who is very close to his family, not just his mom, but his grandmother and the people around him. And in the end, I think that will help Georgia win out in this race, but they’re going to have to hold off some fierce competition.”

Elijah Griffin Recruit Profile

Griffin is the No. 5 overall prospect in the 2025 class, according to the On3 Industry Ranking, a weighted average that utilizes all four major recruiting media companies. He ranks as the nation’s No. 1 defensive lineman and the top recruit in Georgia.

As a freshman in 2021, he recorded 69 tackles, eight tackles for a loss, five quarterback hurries and 3 ½ sacks. Following the 2021 season, he emerged on a national stage after excelling at the National Combine with a 5.1-second time in the 40-yard dash and a 35-inch vertical leap.

As a sophomore in 2022, Griffin racked up 82 tackles, 30 tackles for loss, 14.5 sacks and 14 hurries, which allowed him to be named to the MaxPreps Sophomore All-America team.

This past season, he was named the Georgia Class AAA Defensive Lineman of the Year and a MaxPreps Junior All-America selection. He dominated yet again, finishing the season with 97 tackles (31 TFL), 17.5 sacks and an interception.