Vero Beach rising senior linebacker Tarvos "TJ" Alford is coming off a big season and poised for an encore.
He earned 2023 TCPalm All-Area Defensive Player of the Year honors after leading Vero Beach with 86 tackles, 9.5 tackles for loss and four sacks last season.
Alford, ranked No. 9 on the USA Today Florida Network top 100 and the No. 2 overall linebacker in the state, committed to Ohio State in March.
Alford answered five questions for USA Today about his recruiting and the upcoming season.
Q. Who's the one player at Ohio State you really want to practice against?
A. I'll say JJ, Jeremiah Smith. He's a once-in-a-lifetime player. Going against people like can't do anything but make you better. ... (Laughing) Oh, I know I do (have the skills to cover him). And I've got the body for it, too.
Q. What's the one thing non-football thing that you like most about Ohio State?
A. Just the love the people have for the school in general. When I was driving around up there, every house I passed had an Ohio State flag. There, it's not a lot to do, so everyone is in to the football team. They're hardcore.
Q. What schools are really trying to get you to flip?
A. Like four or five — Tennessee, FSU, Miami, UCF and Georgia. They're making good pitches, I'm going to take some visits and stuff, but I'm locked in with the Buckeyes.
Q. What's one part of your game you really tried to improve this offseason?
A. My block destruction. So, getting on a lineman and getting them off me instead of trying to work my way around them.
Q. Who is one player at Vero Beach not enough people are talking about?
A. I'll say Deuce, Anthwone Montgomery. That's probably the most dominant player that no one is talking about right now. He's my D-lineman, so he makes my job easier. Our D-line might not make every play, but I know the work that they put in to make my job easier and help me make plays, so I've got nothing but love for them.
This article originally appeared on Treasure Coast Newspapers: Recruiting: 5 questions with Vero Beach standout linebacker TJ Alford
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