'25 NC OT David Sanders (Tennessee commit)

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But, but , but this Heupel feller cain't 'cruit!
 
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The Scout​

Prior to Sanders commitment to the Vols, Volquest caught up with On3 Director of Scouting and Rankings, Charles Power, to get his thoughts on the elite prospect.

“David Sanders Jr. is a massive get for Tennessee,” Power said. “He is a big time offensive tackle prospect and has an outstanding combination of reactive athleticism and play strength for the position. He has very good stature at around six-foot-five and a half and has added 25 pounds throughout his junior year of high school going into his senior year

“He is running around 275, can really move at his size. He’s a truly elite athlete at the position. He know runs the 40 and the 4.8s. He’s very strong. He has kind of all of the athletic and multi-sport markers we look for at the position. He’s an elite shot put thrower in track and, and you can see that on the field. He’s always been impressive. Has been a national recruit for the entirety of the cycle and really could have been a blue chip prospect as a defensive lineman.”

“He has that type of athleticism playing on the offensive line. Love his twitch and ability to mirror pass rushers. I think he projects as a high end pass protector as a left tackle. When you watch him in the high school setting facing top pass rushers, he’s always held up well. Like very rarely makes mistakes, and he’s already a really good player but has the upside to continue developing. I think he’s going to continue to get bigger and stronger as he adds weight to his frame. But plays with a very good physical edge. He’s nasty as a run blocker. He works to finish his blocks and has always been a guy who has played stronger than his weight. So, I think once he gets up to around 300 plus pounds, as long as he is able to maintain his movement skills, which there’s no reason to believe he won’t and continues to get bigger and stronger, I think he has the makings of a big time left tackle for Tennessee.”

Power also conveyed how important of a pickup this was for Tennessee.

“I think relative to Tennessee is obviously a huge recruiting win. He was as coveted as any offensive lineman in what we believe to be the best offensive line cycle in recent memory nationally. So he’s a huge get for Tennessee. North Carolina is a state that Tennessee has prioritized under Josh Heupel, so going into Charlotte and getting him is huge. And I think relative to how he fits with Tennessee, I think this is the left tackle of the future for the Vols.
I would expect for him to be a multi-year starter and a guy who is certainly capable of playing at an all-SEC, all- American type of level. So he’s a huge get given how Tennessee has recruited at the quarterback position and it is going to be really important for them to keep their quarterbacks protected, and I think David Sanders is gonna play a huge role in that.”

Glen Elarbee has had Tennessee in the thick of it for multiple elite tackles, but had not yet secured a commitment from one coming out of the high school ranks. Sanders provides Elarbee a five-star win, to go along with a top-ten pick in Darnell Wright, and the Vols have another building block heading into a 2-2026 cycle that features a strong offensive line class. Sanders has the potential to be a generational-type prospect in Tennessee’s offense and addresses a major need for the foreseeable future, as he has the potential to make an early impact on Rocky Top.

What’s Next?​

For weeks, if you have frequented the General’s Quarters, it has felt like the 2025 class has hinged on this recruitment, as every update provided some sort of positive or negative reaction. There is now no need for an, “AP, what is the latest on Sanders?” to kick off the Monday Night Chat. But still, Tennessee is not done just yet. The Vols will look to add to the class in the coming days with Onis Konanbanny set to announce his decision next weekend with the Vols and Florida State as the finalists. Tennessee will continue to scout the 2025 class and turn attention to the 2026 class.

-VQ
 
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