Tennessee offensive tackle David Sanders Jr. was a well-known name on the recruiting trail during the 2025 cycle. Known for his bright personality and brute strength, Sanders was a highly touted prospect for his on-field talent and off-the-field maturity.
Sanders committed to Tennessee in August 2024 and ended the cycle as the Vols’ highest-rated and lone five-star recruit. The Charlotte native was an early enrollee with Tennessee during playoff prep and winter workouts and even attended the Polynesian Bowl along with some of the Vols’ other signees in between.
With only one returning starter on the Tennessee offensive line, that position is on the list with spots up for grabs between now and the start of the season. Sanders, the No. 3 ranked offensive tackle in the 2025 recruiting cycle, has been someone often penciled into the starting right tackle position in early depth chart projections.
Sanders is a smart student-athlete and understands that he has a chance to compete for a starting job in his first season on Rocky Top. But despite his youth, he also understands that his first spring should be dedicated to development over gunning for a starting spot.
“That’s definitely something that comes later in the fall,” Sanders said about his mentality in moving up the depth chart. “I’m really focused on just understanding the offense, going out there and just playing care-free, giving it all I can. Because I feel like my best will get me up on the depth chart, but I’ve just got to understand the offense, understand what I’m doing, so that way I can play with confidence. And if I’m playing with confidence, I’m one of the best five we got.”
Sanders began playoff practices by working on both the left and right sides of the line but has switched to focusing primarily on the right tackle position with “a little bit of reps on the left side as well.”
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Sanders’ experience with the roster during the Vols’ playoff prep was invaluable. On Monday, Sanders Jr. recalled some of his battles with a future first-round NFL Draft pick and how that helped build confidence during his first few weeks on Rocky Top.
“I feel like coming in during bowl practices, just being able to see that you’re not far off from the top guys that they already have,” Sanders said. “I went against James Pearce the whole bowl practice (slate), getting ready for that. So just seeing that I do have things to work on, but if I continue to work, I’m not far off from a guy that’s about to be a top 20 draft pick.”
The 6-foot-6 freshman is also leaning on his teammates for experience, drawing from the veterans in the room who can pass down knowledge to the rookie player.
“[Lance Heard] is a great leader,” Sanders said. “Him and Larry (Johnson III). I feel like when I first got here, I didn’t know what to expect, you know? Coming in as a big-time recruit, I didn’t think they were going to really take to me as good as they did, but they called me on the weekends, let me know if we’re going to the gym or getting extra work in after practice, and things like that. So those two guys have been great mentors to me.”
The Vols’ offensive linemen aren’t the only position group with an abundance of opportunity, though. Tennessee freshman wide receiver Travis Smith Jr. is also looking to make an early impact at his position, but like Sanders, isn’t jumping the gun on things at the beginning of his career.
“It’s a huge opportunity,” Smith said when asked about the Vols’ WR turnover this past offseason. “But right now, since it’s just spring, we’re just focused on spring. But it’s a huge opportunity, though, for sure.”
Stay tuned to Rocky Top Insider for more Tennessee football spring camp coverage.
