Instant Reaction: 5-star DL Elijah Griffin makes a layered impact
Savannah (Ga.) Savannah Christian 2025 five-star defensive lineman Elijah Griffin entered Friday night with a bit of a sour hand of cards.
The major Georgia target and his teammates were unable to practice over the last three days because of their school shutting down in anticipation of the potential impacts of Hurricane Idalia. On the way to Atlanta, the team’s bus broke down.
Waiting for him Friday night, was the triple option of Marist and cut blocks. The No. 2 overall prospect in the 2025 On3’s Industry Rankings was cut multiple times throughout the night.
Griffin had a game plan.
“I just told myself I had to stay low,” Griffin said. “They come off the ball low and they did that every snap, all night. They came out low, they dove at your knees but the beauty of football is you’ve got next week.”
Griffin made a few plays in the backfield but didn’t have his name called a ton individually and Marist took the 21-7 win, but his head coach Baker Woodward felt he did his job.
“Elijah played phenomenal,” Woodward said. “He pretty much dominated the game… Every single time he had to be blocked by two people. We put him at nose guard he dominated the center. He’s a force to be reckoned with. He’s one of the best players in the country. It stinks that he’s going to get double-teamed down there but he handles it very well.”
Overall, Friday night was the hard part of being an elite defensive lineman in high school football. Griffin attracts a lot of attention and sometimes the style of play doesn’t lend itself to a big stat night.
Elijah Griffin’s teammate 2027 EDGE LaDamion Guyton flashes
Georgia has already offered Griffin’s freshman teammate and defensive linemate. The Bulldogs are the only program that has offered Guyton.
Guyton flashed a few times early in the night.
Guyton is already around 6-foot-4 and explosive. He’s a name to watch moving into the coming seasons. There is already a lot of buzz about what he could be as a prospect. The Bulldogs offered Guyton after he camped in Athens over the summer.
Woodward had high praise for the 14-year-old as well.
“He is a physical specimen,” Woodward said. “Ladamion is probably the strongest-looking 14-year-old I’ve ever seen. He’s going to make a lot of plays because Elijah gets so much attention on the inside. He’s a different player, he’s an edge guy, he’s fast. I thought he played amazing.”
