2025 NFL Draft Scouting Report: South Carolina DL T.J. Sanders

Originally posted on Athlon Sports | By Luke Easterling | Last updated Apr 23, 2025 9:08 PM ET

The 2025 NFL Draft is right around the corner, and we've got you covered with in-depth scouting reports on all of the top prospects at every position in this year's class.

Here's everything you need to know about South Carolina defensive lineman T.J. Sanders heading into the 2025 draft:

Vitals

Height: 6-4

Weight: 290

Age: 21

Strengths

An imposing presence with scheme versatility, Sanders is a powerful player who sets a strong anchor against the run, with a solid base and consistent footwork. He uses his length and active hands to stack and shed would-be blockers to get into the backfield, allowing him to force running plays elsewhere and make quarterbacks bail from the pocket. Sanders has a decent first step off the ball that allows him to penetrate quickly, and he converts that explosiveness to power as a pass rusher. His do-it-all skill set allowed the Gamecocks to line up Sanders all across the defensive line.

Weaknesses

A taller interior defender, Sanders routinely struggled to get consistent leverage with this pad level. He’s much more comfortable impacting the game as a power defender than he is beating his opponent with pure speed and athleticism, especially when he’s forced to change directions laterally to follow the runner. As a pass rusher on stunt and twist games, Sanders’ lack of bend and change-of-direction skills limits his ability to impact the passer in a timely fashion.

Updated 2025 NFL Draft Rankings By Position

QB | RB | WR | TE | OT | Interior OL | EDGE | Interior DL | LB | CB | S

Final Analysis

Sanders is a solid all-around defender who has the physical tools to remain on the field for all three downs, but some technical improvements would make him even more effective, and allow him to further mitigate his athletic flaws. His best asset is his versatility, and the experience Sanders has playing multiple positions at a high level against top competition should appeal to any NFL defense, regardless of scheme.