David Sanders Jr.
| Tennessee Volunteers – No. 70 | |
|---|---|
| Position | Offensive tackle |
| Class | Freshman |
| Personal information | |
| Height | 6 ft 6 in (1.98 m) |
| Weight | 290 lb (132 kg) |
| Career history | |
| College | Tennessee (2025–present) |
| High school | Providence Day School (Charlotte, North Carolina) |
David Sanders Jr. is an American football offensive tackle for the Tennessee Volunteers.
Early life
[edit]Sanders grew up in Concord, North Carolina.[1] His father, David Sr., was a college basketball player.[2] Sanders started playing football at age seven and continued while attending Providence Day School in Charlotte, where he became a top offensive tackle and also played on defense.[2] At Providence Day, he also participated in basketball and track and field.[3] As a sophomore, he ranked as the top college recruit nationally for the class of 2025.[4] That year, he was selected to MaxPreps's Sophomore All-America team, and Sanders then was named second-team All-American as a junior in 2023, also being named the Gatorade North Carolina Player of the Year.[1][5]
Sanders was named a finalist for the North Carolina Mr. Football award as a senior and did not allow a sack, helping Providence Day win its third-straight state championship.[1] A five-star prospect, the top offensive tackle recruit, and a top-10 ranked player nationally in the 2025 recruiting class, he committed to play college football for the Tennessee Volunteers.[3][6]
College career
[edit]Sanders enrolled at Tennessee in 2025 and was shifted from left tackle, his position in high school, to right tackle as a freshman.[7]
References
[edit]- ^ a b c "David Sanders Jr". Tennessee Volunteers.
- ^ a b Wertz Jr., Langston (August 14, 2024). "Top high school football player in NC — maybe in the US — faces tough college decision". The Charlotte Observer.
- ^ a b Lederman, Eli (August 17, 2024). "Tennessee lands OT David Sanders, No. 4 recruit in 2025 class". ESPN.
- ^ Wertz Jr., Langston (August 29, 2022). "No. 1 HS football sophomore in America plays in Charlotte — and he wants to be a surgeon". The Charlotte Observer.
- ^ Carboni, Nick (January 6, 2024). "Providence Day's Sanders is nation's top recruit, NC Gatorade Player of the Year". WCNC-TV.
- ^ Wilson, Mike (December 5, 2024). "Why David Sanders Jr. took a last-minute visit to Ohio State before signing with Tennessee". Knoxville News Sentinel.
- ^ Sparks, Adam (March 10, 2025). "5-star David Sanders is third-team tackle in Tennessee football practice. That won't last". The Tennessean.