T. J. Sanders
| No. 98 – Buffalo Bills | |
|---|---|
| Position: | Defensive tackle |
| Personal information | |
| Born: | July 30, 2003 Marion, South Carolina, U.S. |
| Height: | 6 ft 4 in (1.93 m) |
| Weight: | 297 lb (135 kg) |
| Career information | |
| High school: | Marion |
| College: | South Carolina (2021–2024) |
| NFL draft: | 2025: 2nd round, 41st pick |
| Career history | |
| |
| Roster status: | Unsigned draft pick |
| Stats at Pro Football Reference | |
Tanaeri J. Sanders (born July 30, 2003) is an American professional football defensive tackle for the Buffalo Bills of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the South Carolina Gamecocks and was selected by the Bills in the second round of the 2025 NFL draft.
Early life
Sanders attended Marion High School in Marion, South Carolina.[1] He committed to the University of South Carolina to play college football.[2][3]
College career
In his first year at South Carolina in 2021, Sanders played in two games and redshirted.[4] As a redshirt freshman in 2022, he played in 12 games and had 16 tackles and one sack. As a redshirt sophomore in 2023, he started seven of 12 games, recording 43 tackles and 4.5 sacks.[5] Sanders returned to South Carolina for his redshirt junior season in 2024.
Professional career
| Height | Weight | Arm length | Hand span | 40-yard dash | 10-yard split | 20-yard split | 20-yard shuttle | Three-cone drill | Vertical jump | Broad jump | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 6 ft 3+7⁄8 in (1.93 m) |
297 lb (135 kg) |
33+1⁄8 in (0.84 m) |
10+1⁄4 in (0.26 m) |
4.99 s | 1.67 s | 2.87 s | 4.67 s | 7.70 s | 31.5 in (0.80 m) |
9 ft 4 in (2.84 m) | ||
| All values from NFL Combine/Pro Day[6][7] | ||||||||||||
Sanders was selected in the second round with the 41st overall pick in the 2025 NFL draft by the Buffalo Bills.[8]
References
- ^ This future Gamecock defender, now more than 300 pounds, shines as senior leader
- ^ Marion football star T.J. Sanders signs with USC
- ^ In-state SpursUp: Marion defensive end commits to Gamecocks for 2021
- ^ It’s time to buy stock in TJ Sanders, Gamecocks coaches and players say
- ^ Marion's T.J. Sanders ready to lead Gamecocks defense after breakout season
- ^ "T.J. Sanders Draft and Combine Prospect Profile". NFL.com. Retrieved February 28, 2025.
- ^ "T.J. Sanders College Football Profile". DraftScout.com. Retrieved February 28, 2025.
- ^ Maiorana, Sal (April 26, 2025). "Buffalo Bills pick TJ Sanders in 2025 NFL draft: Scouting the athletic DT". Democrat and Chronicle. Retrieved May 1, 2025.
External links