Blue & Gold Illustrated: America's Foremost Authority on Notre Dame Football
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www.BLUEANDGOLD.com MARCH 2019 37 2019 FOOTBALL RECRUITING ISSUE set of values and morals to guide me through everything," Ajavon said. "Luckily, I had that, unlike most of my friends, some that are near to my heart that are either dead, selling drugs on the streets or in jail." After a childhood and adolescence that saw him journey through an Af- rican refugee camp and the streets of a city where more than 300 people a year are murdered, Ajavon found a home at Alexandria (Va.) Episcopal and this summer will enroll at one of the foremost academic institutions in the country at no cost to him — or his village. "I still sometimes have to pinch myself to make sure this is my re- ality," he said with a laugh. "For a long time, my reality was something totally different." The reality for Ajavon now is that he's one giant step closer to being able to pay back his grandpa for get- ting him here. However he does it, it will be the greatest feat he's ever achieved. "Every day, everything I do is to get to a place where he doesn't have to work anymore," Ajavon said. "If it's the NFL, so be it, but if it's not, I know there's something in store for me up above. "Once I get to that destination, it will be so gratifying to look my gran- dad in the eyes and say, 'I got you now. You don't have to worry about anything anymore.' "For a long time, I've been promis- ing that everything would be okay. So to get to a point where I can say everything is okay, that's going to be the highlight of my life." To get there, though, there will be more toil ahead of him. And just as he did in war-torn Africa and inner- city Baltimore, Ajavon will need his village. "Without each and every one of them, Lord knows where I would be right now," he said. "Everybody that has blessed me with their presence in my life has played a certain role, a special role, in my upbringing." Luckily, he will be reminded of that every day when he looks at his fore- arm, where that old African proverb is tattooed. "That old African adage, it's been so true in my life," Ajavon said. "This corps of people that have been behind me, that's my village, and they've brought me to this place where I am now." ✦ LITCHFIELD AJAVON SAFETY 5-11 · 185 EPISCOPAL H.S. (ALEXANDRIA, VA.) BALTIMORE RANKINGS STARS NAT. POS. STATE ✪ ✪ ✪ ✪ 106 9 4 ✪ ✪ ✪ ✪ 270 18 8 ✪ ✪ ✪ — 59 15 STATISTICS • Recorded 62 tackles, two stops for loss, one sack, an interception, two forced fumbles, one fumble recovery and a special teams touchdown as a senior. • Compiled 72 tackles (35 solo) as a junior. HONORS • 2018 USA Today All-State first team • 2018 All-Interstate Athletic Conference first team • 2017 Virginia Independent Schools Athletic Association All-State second team All-Star Games And Camps • Participated in Nike Football's The Opening Regional New Jersey on April 8, 2018 RECRUITMENT • Committed to Notre Dame on April 21, 2018. • Chose Notre Dame over a final group that included Clemson, Michigan, Penn State, Wiscon- sin, Georgia and Virginia Tech. • Primarily recruited to Notre Dame by safeties coach Terry Joseph. • Officially visited Notre Dame for the Stanford game on Sept. 29, 2018. NOTABLE • Born on May 19, 2001. • Also competes in the 300-meter hurdles and 4x100 relay for Episcopal's track team. • Played on the Epic7 DMV seven-on-seven team. 2019 PROJECTION • Ajavon could factor into the special teams equation as a true freshman, but competing for playing time at safety will be extremely difficult in year one. THEY SAID IT Head coach Brian Kelly: "Litchfield Ajavon has incredible vision and laser focus on the field. He is a powerful addition to our Irish defense." Episcopal head coach Mark Moroz: "He's a violent football player that loves to fly downhill and hit people. "Pound for pound, he's the hardest-hitting player I've ever seen." Safeties coach Terry Joseph: "Litchfield is an extremely physical player in the secondary. The Virginia native comes to us displaying all of the traits accompanied by great leadership." BGI football analyst Bryan Driskell: "Right now Ajavon is at his best defending the run, but he possesses the tools to continue developing his pass-game skills. He is a physical defender that can fly downhill and deliver punishment. If he gets a chance to light up a receiver, he is going to do so. "At times, Ajavon tries to deliver knock-out hits and fails to wrap up, but he takes good angles to the football, and shows good instincts and a high football IQ." Rivals rates Ajavon as a four-star talent, the No. 4 prospect in Virginia, and the No. 9 safety and No. 106 overall player in the country. PHOTO BY BRANDON BROWN