NFL Draft
1/18/25
5 min read
T.J. Sanders 2025 NFL Draft: Scouting Report For South Carolina Gamecocks DT
Height: 6040 (unofficial)
Weight: 290lbs (unofficial)
Year: Redshirt Junior
Pro Comparison: Dre’Mont Jones
Scouting Overview
South Carolina Gamecocks defensive tackle T.J. Sanders projects as an attacking interior defender for the NFL level. There appears to be a developmental foundation for a more complete role and profile with time — he has enough length and enough punch power to align overtop of blockers and stack the point if he can be more consistent with his anchor, block recognition skills, and hand placement.
As is, he’s an absolute savage rushing the passer who should bolster an NFL team’s sub-package rush group from the jump. Sanders has played more than 150 snaps apiece in the A-gap and head-up over tackles, showing the ability to win from all kinds of angles thanks to his first step, lateral quickness, active hands, and ability to turn tight corners.
2025 NFL Combine Results
TBD
Positives
- Potent first step explosiveness and second gear to dart across the face or shoot gaps
- Has very strong lower body flexibility and cornering skills to squeeze through tight creases and peel to the quarterback
- Illustrates a number of rush counters with his hands at first contact to further amplify his quickness through the contact window
Negatives
- Somewhat undersized talent who can get engulfed by double teams or disciplined pad level at the point of attack
- Lacks ideal raw upper-body power for block deconstruction when stacking the point
- Overall, block recognition skills in neutral down rate can be more consistent
Background
Sanders (full name is Tanaeri J. Sanders) is from Marion, SC, and played high school football for Marion HS. There, he was also a standout basketball player who earned All-State honors as a junior. On the gridiron, Sanders was a 3-star recruit (247 Sports) as a strong-side defensive end and also played tight end for Marion. Sanders committed to South Carolina over programs like Tennessee, NC State, West Virginia, Virginia Tech, and Duke.
He redshirted his true freshman season in 2021 after seeing action in two games. He appeared in 12 contests in 2022 before collecting program accolades in the spring of 2023 — signifying a breakout on the way. Sanders was awarded the Rex Enright Defensive Player of the Spring that year and went on to collect seven starts in 12 games, leading the team in sacks (4.5) and tackles for loss (9.5) in the process.
Sanders played in all 13 games for the Gamecocks as a redshirt junior in 2024 and was named Second Team All-SEC for his play. He declared after the end of the 2024 season and bypassed his final season of eligibility.
Tale Of The Tape
Sanders has the ability to become a disruptor for his NFL home. This is a quick but proportionately dense interior defender who sports a quick get-off out of the blocks, violent and active hands at first contact, and pleasant lower body flexibility to carry speed through the corners when rushing the passer. Sanders is not an incomplete player with his run vs. pass defending resume — but the pass rush skill set is what he’s likely to be coveted for and sets the ceiling for his evaluation.
This is a player who has shown a variety of ways to get after the quarterback. He’s got a nifty inside scissors and swipe counter to cross face against the center when protection pushes his way, he’s capable of coiling and exploding through gaps with effective quickness, and he can, on occasion, convert speed to power and collapse a center or guard back and compress the pocket. He is slippery through contact thanks to some looseness in his shoulders and does well on twists and stunts to probe and feel creases to pop through and create discomfort for the quarterback.
Sanders’ hands are best when countering punches at first contact. But he does show sturdy punch power, the ability to press back a set of pads, and the ability to hold his own when everything clicks into place. He has the lateral mobility and enough upper-body strength to press and fall off a block to mirror a cut by the ball carrier. However, he lacks the general knockback and dominant power at the point of attack to hold double teams and/or reset the line of scrimmage consistently.
This may prompt him to eventually collect reps as an odd front end on early downs, but that is more of a projection element of his game than unleashing his athleticism as a pass rusher from all kinds of angles. He has enough acceleration and lower-body power to run pick stunts as the wall setter. He possesses enough grace and balance to pinball off the blocker if he’s not captured with hands and parlay that momentum into a crease toward the quarterback.
Sanders’ pad level is generally sufficient, but he’s not condensed enough to be immune to poor pad level and losing leverage. These instances, which spring up vs. vertical drive blocks or when a slide protection variation stymies his initial rush, can kill his momentum and neutralize him. Keeping his feet churning can help him sustain momentum through prolonged contact more efficiently and ensure he can play his way back into the action in high traffic.
Ideal Scheme Fit, Role
Sanders projects best as a penetration pass-rush specialist early in his career. He does have enough length to develop his game into an every-down defender for a multiple-front scheme, but his most direct pathway to playing time as a rookie will be as an interior designated pass rusher.
He can align on the nose in rush situations but would be best served attacking the B-gap from 3T and 4i alignments.
Grade: 77.50/100.00, Second Round Value
Big Board Rank: TBD
Position Rank: TBD
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