Ohio State picked up a significant pledge on Saturday as Vero Beach, Fla., four-star linebacker Tarvos Alford (6-2, 210) committed to the Buckeyes. Alford is the No. 62 overall prospect and eighth-ranked linebacker in 2025, and he chose Ohio State over Florida State, Miami (Fla.), Tennessee and UCF.
Much of Alford’s recruitment came down to his relationship with linebackers coach James Laurinaitis, who visited Alford twice in January before he was promoted from a graduate assistant. Alford, meanwhile, visited Ohio State last summer and returned this past fall for the Buckeyes’ win over Michigan State on Nov. 11.
Alford, viewed as a Will linebacker at the next level, had an impressive junior season at Vero Beach, collecting 114 tackles (12 for loss), four sacks, an interception and six pass breakups as he was named TC Palm’s Defensive Player of the Year. He spent his sophomore season at John Carroll in Birmingham, Ala., where he had 103 tackles and three sacks.
Alford is the second pledge at linebacker for Ohio State in 2025, joining Akron Hoban three-star Eli Lee (6-3, 215), who joined the Buckeyes’ class in October. McKinney, Texas, four-star Riley Pettijohn (6-2, 205) and Dallas Skyline four-star Elijah Barnes (6-2, 225) remain priority targets for Laurinaitis and Ohio State.
