R.J. Cruz III: A Promising Offensive Lineman Ready to Make His Mark at McDonogh High School

As he prepares to embark on his freshman year at McDonogh High School in Maryland, R.J. Cruz III has already established himself as a formidable presence on the football field. Standing at 6-foot-3 and weighing 270 pounds, Cruz has been a standout performer in both games and camps over the past few years, consistently proving to be either the best or among the best prospects on the field. As he looks ahead to his high school career, Cruz is eager to showcase his skills and continue developing as a player.

Cruz plays anywhere on the offensive line, primarily as a guard, and also plays defensive tackle. "The best thing I enjoy about it is running people into the dirt or putting pain upon another person," he explains with an impressive passion for the game. "I love to hit hard and set the tone for my team."

Cruz's journey into football was inspired by the numerous opportunities and transformative impact the sport can have on one's life. "The opportunities and places football can take you inspired me," he says. "Especially what football can do for your life is crazy! Also, improving as a person physically and mentally."

Regarding role models, Cruz looks up to several professional players for their unique qualities. He admires Trevor Penning (New Orelans Saints offensive lineman) for his aggressive and violent style of play and praises Zack Martin (Dallas Cowboys offensive lineman) and Quenton Nelson (Indianapolis Colts offensive lineman) for their remarkable technique and game intelligence. "Their technique and IQ for the game is amazing!" Cruz said when asked why he considers them role models.

Cruz has set ambitious goals for his freshman season. He is determined to learn the game inside and out and help his team achieve their goal of winning the MIAA Championship.

On a personal level, Cruz aims to catch the attention of college recruiters by proving he can play at the next level. "I would love to prove to recruiters that I can play at the next level, receive a couple of D-1 offers, and become the number one offensive lineman in the nation," he says confidently. "Also, be known as a threat in the league and an All-American. I have set high goals for myself."

Balancing academics and athletics is a priority for Cruz, who plans to eliminate distractions and dedicate time to his schoolwork while excelling in football. "I plan to balance school and football by cutting out all distractions and finding time to do my schoolwork and everything I need to be great for football," he said when asked how he'll adjust to balancing both in high school.

Cruz's most vital skills on the field include his aggression, ability to wear down opponents mentally and physically, and leadership qualities. "I think my strongest skills are aggression and wearing down the opponent mentally and physically," he shares. Also, leadership, making it known who I am, pulling, and passing block are some of my best attributes."

However, Cruz recognizes that there are areas he needs to improve, such as staying disciplined and refining his technique. "The areas I need to improve are staying disciplined and not turning my hips too soon," he admits. I need to learn some more advanced technique and this year have a strong voice being one of the youngest players on the team still."

Cruz has faced challenges throughout his football journey, such as team morale issues and injuries, which have taught him valuable lessons. "A time I had to overcome a challenge is when my team was down and getting on themselves or arguing," he recalls. "I helped fix the issue, get them excited again, and move on. Or some injuries I have gone through. There is nothing more devastating than an injury that could have been prevented. That's why now I take recovery so much more seriously."

Cruz is excited about the opportunities as he looks forward to his high school football career. As he transitions from one level to another, he already has envisioned what he wants his future to look like.

"I want to continue developing as a player and seeing what kind of player I can become. Down the road, I'm looking forward to touring schools, developing a stronger relationship with God, finding more opportunities, and testing my limits and pushing them. Also, I can't wait to see my hard work pay off. I have been working out 5-6x per week this entire off-season."

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