Tag: five-star Ja’tavion Sanders

Report: TE Ja’Tavion Sanders impressing at practice

The former five-star stood out in Texas’ first spring practice.

Second-year tight end Ja’Tavion Sanders is one of the most talented players on Texas’ roster. Spring practice presents a great opportunity for the young tight end to get more adjusted to the college game.

The former five-star did not see the field much during his freshman season in 2021. With Cade Brewer graduating and Jared Wiley transferring up I-35 to TCU, the opportunity for playing time has presented itself at tight end.

CJ Vogel of The Football Brainiacs had some encouraging remarks about Sanders’ play in practice on Tuesday.

InsideTexas reported Sanders got plenty of runs with the first-team offense in Tuesday’s drills.

Sanders will compete with Alabama transfer Jahleel Billingsley, Gunnar Helm, and Juan Davis for playing time at tight end. Steve Sarkisian loves to utilize his tight end group, Texas played out of 12-personnel at a high rate last season.

[vertical-gallery id=80639]

Contact/Follow us @LonghornsWire on Twitter, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Texas news, notes and opinions.

Texas signee Ja’Tavion Sanders listed as a prospect with the most potential

ESPN took the top 25 classes and picked a player who had the most potential. Five-star Ja’Tavion Sanders was selected for the Longhorns.

Early into spring ball, Texas has had to put activities on hold due to positive COVID-19 tests within the program. Despite there only being one practice, a few members of Texas’ 2021 recruiting class were already standing out. J.D. Coffey was emerging at safety, while Juan Davis and Gunnar Helm have stood out at tight end.

The best of the bunch has yet to even arrive on campus, though. Five-star Ja’Tavion Sanders was the top-rated recruit that Tom Herman’s staff pulled in. Sanders is a weapon on both sides of the ball, playing defensive end or slotting in as a receiving tight end.

ESPN took the top 25 classes and selected one player in the class based on their potential. Sanders was selected for the Longhorns over names such as Terrance Cooks and Byron Murphy. Here is what they had to say about the Denton Ryan product:

Sanders is one of the most intriguing prospects in the entire class for Texas. He’s a 6-foot-4, 220-pound prospect labeled as an athlete and the No. 13-ranked recruit overall. Steve Sarkisian has said Texas will look at Sanders for both offense and defense, and he legitimately could thrive on either side. He had 1,161 yards on 63 receptions and 16 touchdowns his final season in high school while also playing defensive end. Such versatility is rare, and once he figures out where he can make the biggest impact, he could be a multi-year starter for the Longhorns.

Steve Sarkisian has been honest and transparent, stating that they will determine where Sanders is needed at the end of spring ball. Even if he plays mainly offense or mainly defense, Sarkisian has experience with two-way players. Sanders’ versatility is why ESPN loves him.

Scouting report: Sanders is a big athlete who brings a lot of value to a roster, as he could contribute at multiple spots on either side of the ball. He combines his size with good strength, quickness, and ball skills.

Outside of the quarterback battle, where Sanders lines up could be a top storyline going into the season. Wherever the coaching staff decides to line him up, Sanders will instantly improve this Texas team.