T.J. Sanders, South Carolina: 2025 NFL Draft Profile & Scouting Report
Sanders was a three-star recruit from Marion High School in Marion, S.C. in the class of 2021
South Carolina’s T.J. Sanders is a raw defensive lineman who primarily relies on his physical tools to succeed. Sanders needs to show growth this season, but his flashes and traits belong in the discussion for a top 60 selection in the 2025 NFL Draft.
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T.J. Sanders, IDL South Carolina: 2025 NFL Draft Profile
Classification: Redshirt junior defensive tackle from Marion, S.C.
Background: Sanders was a three-star recruit from Marion High School in Marion, S.C. in the class of 2021. He was the No. 669 recruit according to 247Sports and No. 737 for On3.com. Sanders was an unranked three-star recruit for Rivals and an unranked three-star recruit for ESPN with a 78 grade out of 100. He played both defensive tackle and tight end in high school. Sanders led Marion to the Class 2A State Championship Game in 2020 and was named the HSSR-SCHSL AA Defensive Player of the Year. According to MaxPreps, Sanders totaled 59 tackles, 18 tackles for loss, six sacks, and two fumble recoveries during his final season. As a junior, he amassed 36 tackles, five tackles for loss, and two sacks. Sanders also played basketball. He was named 6-3A Player of the Year as a junior after averaging a double-double. Sanders was born on July 30, 2003.
Injuries & Off-Field: Did not play 2022 Charlotte game, missed second half vs. Tennessee (2023) with an injured shoulder, rolled ankle during 2024 spring game
Awards: 2023 Third Team All-SEC (College Football Network)
Pros: Special teams experience on the kick return, punt return, field goal block, and field goal units, arm length should check boxes, raw athleticism raises ceiling, some explosive reps off the line, sudden horizontal steps to exchange gaps at the snap, decent bend to flatten rush angles, two-handed swipe, rip move, developmental spin move, some reps pushing the pocket by walking guards back to the QB, grip strength, stacks, peaks, and sheds one-on-one blocks well, long arms help him lock out offensive linemen, forces defenders out of his frame with strong arm extensions, firepower in his upper body, pop in hands help discard blocks quickly, violent upper body to suddenly shed blocks, quick to redirect off blocks and contain scrambling quarterbacks, good open field speed, pursues the ball downfield
Cons: Needs to stack weight on his frame, technical development is very raw, pad level rises quickly, inconsistent deployment of pass rush plan, limited pass rush arsenal, still developing hand counters, bull rush dies out, undersized to anchor against some interior players, moved off the line by combo blocks, needs to sink hips and dig feet in when facing climbing linemen, dives low and misses finishing opportunities
Overview: Sanders has special teams experience on the kick return, punt return, field goal block, and field goal units. He primarily lines up as a 3-tech or 2-tech and receives minimal snaps at 1-tech and 0-tech. Sanders needs to continue stacking weight on his frame, but he possesses the arm length and raw athleticism to cause chaos on the interior. He explodes off the line and uses sudden horizontal steps to exchange gaps and test the guard’s athleticism. Sanders lacks elite bend but has enough to flatten his rush angle to the quarterback and stress the guard’s agility. His rush plan includes two-handed swipes, rips, and a developmental spin move. The redshirt junior’s pass rush technique and hand usage are raw. His physical tools pop, but his pass rush arsenal and hand counters are only rudimentary. Sanders occasionally converts his burst to power and walks the guard back into the quarterback’s lap. Unfortunately, his bull rush often dies out, and he doesn’t deploy counters or secondary moves to keep his rush alive. Sanders needs to be careful of his pad level and focus on winning the leverage battle more often. In the run game, he uses his grip strength and long arms to stack, peak, and shed blocks. The South Carolina native handles one-on-one blocks well but lacks the anchor to handle combo blocks or other double teams. Since he’s undersized, he needs to play with leverage and put an emphasis on establishing a low, wide base against linemen working vertically. Sanders forces linemen out of his frame with strong arm extensions. His hands pack the pop to stun linemen and make discarding blockers easier. Sanders’ rapid and powerful upper body generates sudden and violent movements to shed blocks with perfect timing. The former three-star recruit quickly works off blocks to contain runners. His open field speed pops when he pursues the ball downfield. Sanders sometimes dives low and misses tackle attempts.
Overall, Sanders is an explosive and violent defensive lineman with the raw athletic traits to develop into a starter at the next level. He still needs to refine his frame and the technical elements of his position, but Sanders’ ceiling firmly puts him in the discussion for a top 60 selection.
Role & Scheme Fit: Penetrating 3-tech or 4-3 defensive end
Round Grade: Mid Second to Early Third Round
Size: 6'4", 290 lbs. (Unofficial)
Submitted: 08-08-24