Vols land OT Sanders, No

Eli Lederman, ESPN Personnel WriterAug 17, 2024, 01:46 PM ET

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Eli Lederman covers college football and recruiting for ESPN.com. He signed up with ESPN in 2024 after covering the University of Oklahoma for Sellout Crowd and the Tulsa World.Five-star offensive take on David Sanders, the top uncommitted prospect in the 2025 class, devoted to Tennessee on Saturday afternoon, landing with the Volunteers as the top-ranked prospect in the program’s rising 2025 recruiting class and the highest-rated pledge of the Josh Heupel era.Tennessee beat Ohio State, Nebraska and Georgia in the chase for the No. 4

recruit in the 2025 ESPN 300, protecting Sanders’pledge in the current of a series of high-profile summertime commitments for the Volunteers.Sanders, a 6-foot-6, 250-pound blocker from Charlotte, North Carolina, enters his senior

season at Charlotte’s Providence Day School as the ruling North Carolina Gatorade Player of the Year after leading the program to its third straight NCISAA state title in 2023. With Sanders’ decision made, five-star defensive take on Elijah Griffin(No. 5 in the ESPN 300)ends up being the top uncommitted prospect in the 2025 cycle, based on ESPN rankings.For Sanders, Saturday’s promise marked the conclusion of a lengthy recruitment that began just after his freshman season in late 2021; consisted of sees to SEC, Big Ten and ACC powers; and closed this week with last-minute pushes from some of the nation’s top programs before his announcement inside the gym at Providence Day.At completion of an almost three-year procedure, Sanders informed ESPN his dedication swung on the environment within the Tennessee football program, his relationships with Heupel and offending line coach Glen Elarbee and a convenience discovered in the uneven boundaries of the school’s Knoxville school.”The landscapes is actually great up there, “Sanders stated.”Certainly the connection with coach Heupel and coach Elarbee assisted a lot, and it feels like this will be a 2nd home for me.

Providence Day has a household feel. Going there, I get the exact same feeling.” The No. 1 offensive take on in the 2025 class, Sanders is the current addition to among the elite offending line classes being constructed in the existing cycle, joining first-class offensive deal with Douglas Utu(No. 13 in

the ESPN 300)and four-star offending guard Nic Moore(No. 237 ), another pair of key dedications in Tennessee’s efficient summertime on the recruiting trail.Sanders is the highest-rated pledge of Heupel’s tenure at Tennessee, topping a previous high set when the Volunteers signed five-star pass receiver Mike Matthews (No. 23 in the 2024 ESPN 300 )in the last cycle. If Sanders signs with Tennessee, he will mark the program’s highest-ranked addition given that the Volunteers landed No. 1 total possibility Trey Smith in the 2017 class.As a junior at Providence Day last fall, Sanders put together 32 hurries, 24 takes on and 4 sacks in a pass-rushing role while blocking for 2024 Michigan quarterback signee Jadyn Davis in an offense that stormed to another state title. Sanders is also on the basketball group at Providence Day and is a two-time state qualifier in the shot put and discus throw.Michigan was first to offer Sanders in December 2021, and Tennessee signed up with the flurry of Power 4 programs to follow in the early months of 2022. Across his sophomore and junior years, Sanders’list of informal visits included Alabama, Georgia, Florida State, Ohio State and Clemson, along with journeys to programs closer to home in South Carolina, North Carolina and NC State.From the program’s initial contact with Sanders prior to his freshman season, the Volunteers made North Carolina’s top prospect a priority in this cycle. Sanders connected early with defensive linemen James Pearce Jr. and Daevin Hobbs, a pair of current Tennessee players from the Charlotte location. When Sanders reached his junior year, Heupel and his staff were relentless in their communication

with his household. And from within Tennessee’s 2025 class, quarterback George MacIntyre and defensive tackle Ethan Utley were among the dedicates who hired Sanders hardest. “George had actually been on me pretty heavy,”Sanders stated.” We had an excellent relationship before he dedicated to Tennessee. Everyone there did a terrific task from the start. The entire coaching personnel, from the offending side to the defensive side, they’ve all done a fantastic job. “Sanders made Tennessee one of his six official sees this spring. Other trips included stops at Alabama, Georgia and Clemson, however it was Ohio State and Nebraska that

emerged as finalists together with Tennessee this summer.He informed ESPN that the Cornhuskers were not on his radar till 2024 first-class quarterback Dylan Raiola turned from Georgia to Nebraska. The pair of first-class prospects grew close during their respective recruitments, and Raiola was essential in the

Huskers ‘push as coach Matt Rhule went hard for Sanders’pledge. Ohio State likewise pursued Sanders greatly, with coach Ryan Day and offensive line coach Justin Frye forging close relationships. Sanders also kept in frequent contact with former Buckeyes offensive tackle Paris Johnson Jr., now of the Arizona Cardinals.Nebraska and Ohio State led the charge working to sway Sanders from Tennessee into the final week of his recruitment, throughout which he states he was gotten in touch with heavily by programs throughout the country. “My phone was exploding today more than it’s ever been exploding,”Sanders said.”Some schools I have not spoken with in months were still attempting to require one last push.”” Tennessee treated me like household from Day 1,”Sanders continued.” It was absolutely the location I felt most in the house. The locker room. The recruitment. They have a terrific class coming in, and I look forward to belonging of it and going in there and getting better.”With Sanders’pledge, just four of the top 10 prospects in the 2025 cycle remain uncommitted.

Two of those luxury skills– outdoors linebacker Jonah Williams (No. 8)and offensive tackle Michael Fasusi(No. 9)– are expected to announce their pledges over the next week.Sanders is Tennessee’s 22nd devote in 2025 and the ninth ESPN 300 pledge in a class that has actually now gained 13 pledges considering that June 1. The Volunteers’incoming class likewise consists of headliners in MacIntyre(No. 6 pocket passer), Utu (No. 4 offensive take on) and defenders Utley(No. 8 defensive deal with ), Lagonza Hayward Jr. (No. 9 safety)and Christian Gass (No. 17 outdoors linebacker)Approximately No. 9 in ESPN’s latest group rankings for the 2025 class, the Volunteers will continue to rise with Sanders’pledge, riding positive momentum into Heupel’s 4th fall in charge.