The top tackle recruit in the 2025 cycle is officially off the board as David Sanders, Jr. has committed to Tennessee. He is the 22nd commit for the Volunteers in this cycle and fourth offensive lineman.
Sanders chose Tennessee over Georgia, Big Ten programs, Nebraska, and Ohio State. The Buckeyes’ offensive line recruiting hasn’t been quite as good as it has been for receivers and defensive backs.
BREAKING: Five-Star Plus+ OT David Sanders Jr. has Committed to Tennessee, he tells me for @on3recruits
The 6’6 290 OT from Charlotte, NC chose the Vols over Ohio State, Nebraska, & Georgia
Ranked as the No. 1 OT in the ‘25 Class 🍊https://t.co/YaztIGz5OL pic.twitter.com/wVsfeSsL6M
— Hayes Fawcett (@Hayesfawcett3) August 17, 2024
David Sanders, Jr. Commits to Tennessee, Spurns Ohio State
Across just about every recruiting service, Sanders is considered the top tackle recruit. Hailing from Providence Day School in Charlotte, North Carolina, he’s considered a five-star recruit across the board. On3 goes so far as to call him an elite five-star-plus athlete. According to 247Sports, Sanders is the second-best overall recruit.
At Providence Day School, Sanders is a three-sport athlete, also playing basketball and throwing events for Track & Field. As a thrower, he’s a two-time state qualifier thus far in his career.
As an offensive lineman, Sanders is lauded as an incredibly athletic anchor with a legitimate track to get to the NFL in three years. He was last measured at six-foot-six and 270 pounds with over 36-inch arms. Sanders is able to move his big body with ease and can stand to add some mass to his frame.
If not for a season-ending injury before his freshman season, Sanders would be heading into his fourth season as a starting member of the Providence Day starting offensive line. He’s anchored the left side of the line over the last two seasons.
Perhaps the most impressive thing about Sanders isn’t the fact that he was awarded Second-Team All-American honors by MaxPreps after his junior season. He was the North Carolina and Charlotte Independent School Athletic Association (CISAA) offensive player of the year. Additionally, Sanders played on the defensive line and logged 24 tackles, four sacks, two pass breakups, a forced fumble, and a fumble recovery. He did so while playing with a torn labrum in 2023.
