LB Tarvos "TJ" Alford (Official Thread)

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Better Know a Buckeye: Tarvos Alford Models His Game After Ryan Shazer And Hopes to Make Same Impact at Ohio State As the Former Buckeye Great

Following in the footsteps of fellow Florida linebacker Ryan Shazier, Tarvos Alford hopes to make the same impact at Ohio State as the former Buckeye once did.

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Better Know a Buckeye: Tarvos Alford Models His Game After Ryan Shazer And Hopes to Make Same Impact at Ohio State As the Former Buckeye Great​

Immediate Impact​

With Sonny Styles leading the linebacker room and Arvell Reese likely taking the other starting spot on the depth chart in 2025, playing time could be hard to come by for Alford in his first season as a Buckeye.

That said, he has one thing on his mind early on in Columbus: Get his black stripe off and find a way to get in the rotation if at all possible.

“I really want to get my black stripe off and get myself in that rotation early and go out there and make plays,” Alford said this spring.

Although C.J. Hicks moved to the edge, Alford is competing with Garrett Stover and fellow freshman Riley Pettijohn, among others, for a spot on the two-deep alongside Payton Pierce. With so much competition early on, he knows that the talent around him will only improve himself as a player.

“Really playing around a lot of great players,” Alford said of what excites him the most about playing for the Buckeyes. “We’ve already got the best 2025 class right now. There’s plenty of players that’ll be around me that can help make me better.”

Long-Term Impact​

Laurinaitis has always seen Alford as a Will linebacker at the college level and beyond, so Alford perfecting that position – both on and off the field – as a freshman will be key for his success, both short and long-term.

With Styles entering his final season at Ohio State, Alford can push for significant playing time in his second season in Columbus in 2026. The competition to do so will continue to be tough, especially as Laurinaitis continues to bring in the top talent from across the country every year, but Alford's ability to chase down opposing ball carriers, speed to cut down angles, and athleticism to drop back in coverage is the type of skill set that is tough to teach.

In the running game, Alford pairs his pre-snap reads and instincts with his speed and sure-tackling ability to make big hits on ball carriers. He uses his speed and athleticism to be a standout linebacker in coverage as well, giving him the skills to be a future every-down player on Ohio State’s defense.

Look for Alford to make it on the two-deep at Will linebacker as a sophomore and fight for a starting spot alongside Pettijohn in his third season as a Buckeye in 2027.