Cavazos talks big win, transition to cornerback
Friday's Battle of the Buckeyes in New Jersey was won by IMG Academy and defensive back Lejond Cavazos, 31-25 over Philadelphia St. Joe's Prep and quarterback Kyle McCord. Cavazos and the IMG defense forced four turnovers in the win and got yet another feather in their cap as they hunt a national title.
"We came out the gates a little slow but I felt like we held our own on defense and showed the nation that we're not anything to play with," said Cavazos after the game.
For Cavazos, it has been an off-season of transition. After playing more of a single high safety role last year for IMG, Cavazos is starring at cornerback, the position that Ohio State has recruited him to play.
"I feel like I've transferred over about as well as I could have," he said. "I'm taking everything day-by-day, week-by-week, receiver-by-receiver and I'm just trusting my coaches and everyone around me who are supporting me and helping me."
The four-star recruit and future Buckeye has teamed up with Elias Ricks to form perhaps the nation's best cornerback tandem. The two have grown close over the past couple of years and playing opposite of each other has been mutually beneficial.
"It's been really good," he said. "Knowing I have him over there on the other side of me has made things pretty stress free. I know he's going to hold up his end."
Cavazos remains very entrenched when it comes to what Ohio State is doing. While there aren't many guys left to recruit at this point, Cavazos is staying very engaged with the coaching staff and making sure that his future in Columbus gets off the best start possible.
"My official up there is for the Penn State game," he explained. "Coach Hafley has been watching all of my game tapes. He has been critiquing me and just telling me to trust myself and what I'm doing and my positioning and everything. He has been coaching me a lot from (Ohio) so it should only get better once I'm up there. I have a great DB coach here at school and to know that I'm going to play for coach Hafley just makes it even better."
Cavazos should be joined in Columbus that weekend by Ricks as well as class of 2021 four-star lineman J.C. Latham.