South Carolina football redshirt junior defensive tackle T.J. Sanders declared for the 2025 NFL Draft after playing four years with the Gamecocks.
During his redshirt sophomore year in 2023-24, Sanders had a breakout year and played in all 12 games for the Gamecocks, starting in 7 of them. He recorded 43 total tackles, 9.5 tackles for loss and 4.5 sacks on the season.
In his last year with the Gamecocks, Sanders recorded 50 total tackles, 29 solo tackles and four sacks. He contributed to a South Carolina defensive unit that ranked as the 13th-best defense in Division I last year. The defense also ranked No. 11 in terms of total points allowed per game at just 18.1.
His defensive efforts last year helped him earn 2024 Second Team All-SEC honors from the Associated Press and First Team All-SEC honors from College Football Nation. He was also named 2024 SEC Interior Defender of the Year by College Football Nation.
Strengths
Sanders' confidence as a football player was on full display when he discussed training for the South Carolina Pro Day.
"It's just a workout. I've been doing some of these drills that we just did for years now," Sanders said. "Just having the confidence in yourself and the abilities that God blessed you with ... putting on display for all the coaches, I feel like, really was the easiest part, the hard part was done with training."
Sanders ran a 4.99 second 40-yard dash which ranked 1st out of active defensive tackle participants at the South Carolina Pro Day. He decided to skip the 40-yard dash at the NFL combine but if he would've ran a 4.99 there, it would've ranked him as the 8th fastest defensive tackle.
Another thing that helps him with his game is his combination of size and skill. At the 2025 NFL combine, he measured in at 6 feet, 4 inches tall and weighed in at 297 pounds. The average NFL defensive tackle is about 6 feet, 3 inches tall and 310 pounds, so Sanders can move quicker than the average defensive lineman without compromising too much size on the interior.
During his four-year tenure with the Gamecocks, Sanders compiled 109 total tackles, 17.5 tackles for loss, 9.5 sacks and six pass breakups, with a bulk of those numbers being posted in his final two seasons.
According to NFL analyst Lance Zierlein, Sanders is a "powerful road block with heavy hands and a strong core."
Weaknesses
While Sanders is a good tackler behind the line of scrimmage, his change of direction and lateral movement affect his ability to make tackles past the line of scrimmage. At the NFL combine, Sanders posted a 7.7-second three-cone drill, which ranked second to last among the defensive tackles in his class. His lack of a quick change of direction because of his tight hips is something else that NFL.com pointed out.
At the combine, he ranked fifth in the 20-yard shuttle drill among defensive tackles in his class, posting a 4.67-second time, and tied for seventh in the broad jump with a 9-foot, 4-inch jump. This could mean that Sanders could struggle to bat passes down thrown low by the defensive line.
According to NFL DRAFT BUZZ, he needs to improve his conditioning; He usually is gassed late in games, especially during long drives in the fourth quarter.
NFL fits and draft outlook
According to NFL Draft analyst Daniel Jeremiah, Sanders is "disruptive against the pass, boasting an explosive get-off" and plays with high effort.
With Sanders' skill set, NFL DRAFT BUZZ projects him to be taken in the early second round in the 2025 NFL Draft.
There are many teams who could look to upgrade their interior defensive line, such as the New England Patriots, Jacksonville Jaguars and the Carolina Panthers. All of those teams finished in the bottom 10 in the NFL last season in rushing yards allowed per game as a team.
Specifically, the Panthers gave up the most rushing yards per game as a team last season and allowed the most points per game in the NFL.
Sanders could potentially come in and give the Panthers a boost on the defensive line. He would be joined by former Gamecocks such as Jaycee Horn, Jadeveon Clowney and D.J. Wonnum if he is drafted by the Panthers.
Pro Football Focus has the Kansas City Chiefs as an ideal leading spot for Sanders after they lost veteran defensive tackles Derrick Nnadi and Tershawn Wharton to free agency this year. According to Pro Football Focus, "T.J. Sanders' size and quickness would provide the Chiefs with another flexible player who they can line up at multiple places and ask to rush the passer."
Bleacher Report compares Sanders to Levi Onwuzurike, a defensive end from Washington taken in the second round of the 2021 NFL Draft by the Detroit Lions. In his four years with the Lions, Onwuzurike has posted 68 total tackles, 16 quarterback hits and 3.5 sacks.
A to Z Sports compares Sanders to Dre'Mont Jones, a defensive lineman from Ohio State taken in the third round of the 2019 NFL Draft by the Denver Broncos. Jones has spent his NFL career with the Denver Broncos and Seattle Seahawks and has recorded 210 total tackles, 30.5 sacks and 40 tackles for loss.
What's next?
The 2025 NFL Draft will begin on Thursday, April 24, at 8 p.m. EST and end on Saturday, April 26. The Green Bay Packers are set to host, and it will take place in Green Bay, Wisconsin.