Tennessee football has rarely leaned on true freshmen during head coach Josh Heupel’s tenure in Knoxville. But the Vols are set to lean on one at a premium position in a big way this season. Five-star freshman David Sanders will start at right tackle for Tennessee this season, becoming the first freshman to start on the Vols’ offense during Heupel’s first five seasons in Knoxville.
On3 released its Preseason Freshman All-American team Tuesday and Sanders landed as one of the five offensive linemen on the list. The other offensive linemen on the list attend NC State, Washington, Georgia and Oklahoma.
Sanders ranked as a five-star recruit and the No. 6 player in the 2025 recruiting cycle according to the 247sports composite rankings. The Charlotte native also ranked as the No. 2 offensive tackle the top player in the state of North Carolina in the 2026 recruiting cycle.
The opportunity is clear for Sanders as a freshman and he’s done a strong job setting himself up for success before he plays his first game. Sanders early enrolled at Tennessee back in January and has already added 40 pounds since arriving on campus.
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“I think one, just his body,” Tennessee offensive line coach Glen Elarbee said of his growth. “The guy has done an incredible job of putting on weight and getting to a place where he can function here in the SEC. Two, mentally he spent as much time or more time than anybody reading, walking through, understanding there’s still way, way more to keep going. But where he was to where he is now, unreal and credit to him. … He just consistently, every day, ticking off something and just keeps building and climbing. Done a great job.”
It’s an almost completely new look offensive line for Tennessee this season. Left tackle Lance Heard is the only returning starter on the Vols’ offensive line. Arizona transfer Wendell Moe Jr. is a lock to start at one guard spot while Jesse Perry, Sam Pendleton and Sham Umarov battle for playing time at the other. Both Pendleton and William Satterwhite are competing for the starting center spot.
Heard knows what it’s like to play as a five-star freshman in the SEC, earning off-and-on playing time in his true freshman season at LSU. He likes what he’s seen from Sanders to this point.
“I like Dave,” Heard said. “I like his mentality. He ain’t scared of s***. Great worker, man. He listens. Very coachable. I like that about him.”
Preseason accolades mean little and even less when it comes to Freshmen All-American. But Sanders has a great chance to be on Freshman All-American teams at season end.
