Pooler (Ga.) Savannah Christian Prep Five-star Plus+ defender Elijah Griffinthe top uncommitted prospect in the country, will be off the board this Friday, October 18th.

The No. 6 overall recruit and top-ranked DL in the 2025 cycle, according to On3 industry rankingwill choose between Georgia, Miami And USC. For each program, he was on campus multiple times throughout his process, including on official visits.

The in-state Bulldogs have long been trending for Griffin On3 recruitment prediction engine and have been after the 6-foot, 4,300-pounder longer than anyone else. However, both the Hurricanes and Trojans have made a good impression and continued to push for his promise.

Ahead of Friday’s announcement, Chad Simmons, On3’s Steve Wiltfong and team insiders for Georgia, Miami and USC weigh in on Griffin’s status as he nears his decision:

Who gets five-star plus+ DL Elijah Griffin?

Director of Recruiting Chad Simmonss: “I liked Georgia’s position from the beginning because of the relationships they built with Elijah and those close to him. It starts with Tray Scottthe defensive coach, but over the last four years the entire Georgia team has developed that bond with Griffin. Then it goes to the players and people around the program. He’s all about relationships and comfort. Georgia examines these criteria extensively. You can talk about Georgia being the state program, a winning program and its track record with defensive linemen, but it starts with the connection to the people of Georgia.”

Vice President of Recruiting Steve Wiltfong: “Georgia was the first company to offer Elijah in eighth grade and was the one to beat from the start. In addition to all that Georgia has to offer on the field, Elijah and his family feel comfortable at UGA, surrounded by a staff they trust. Miami and USC gave Elijah other potential options, but he played around Kirby Smart and the Bulldogs continuing the tradition and maximizing their own abilities have put the state powerhouse in a great position.”

Georgia insider Rusty Mansell: “I think Griffin picks Georgia on Friday. This is someone Georgia has been recruiting for almost four and a half years now. He has now been to Athens so often that I can no longer count the number of trips. He gave it his due care and appreciation. He took a close look at several schools, but at the end of the day I always felt like this was Georgia. I think the fact that this five-star recruiting office brought several family members into town over the weekend tipped the scales. You don’t see Kirby Smart missing a lot of five-star defensive backs in the state.”

Miami insider Gary Ferman: “Miami gave everything they had to acquire Griffin, whom they identified as one of the true difference-makers in the 2025 class. However, there has been a great distance from his summer visit and he has not yet acted on his suggested thoughts about visiting for a game in the fall. The impression here is that it will be very difficult for anyone to get him out of Georgia.”

USC insider Scott Schrader: “I have always felt that Georgia is the school to beat and I expect Elijah to announce for the Bulldogs on October 18th. USC’s only chance was to get him back on campus in the fall, and obviously that was the case. “That’s not going to happen.”