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Vero Beach

Ohio

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Football

Tarvos "TJ" Alford does it all for his grandfather. While other members of his family mean a lot to him, it's his grandfather that made him who he is today – one of the best players in the country. "He was like a second father to me," Alford told TCPalm.com. "Growing up, my dad worked a lot to pay the bills. When he was at work, I was always at grandad’s house. He used to make me work. I hated it at the time, but it helped shape me into who I am today and make me into the young man I am in this world." Alford earned multiple postseason honors after the 2023 season after leading Vero Beach with 114 tackles to go along with1 12 tackles for loss, four sacks, six passes defended and an interception. "TJ does everything really well," Vero Beach coach Lenny Jankowski said. "You take his size and you combine it with his athleticism. You look at it from a recruiting piece, it's a hot description right now. they call it position versatility. He has it. His speed, athleticism, size, strength and all the intangibles. As talented as he is, he has a huge upside. He has the ability, and he wants to be great. He has all of those characteristics. He's the total package."