Recruiting analyst evaluates whether Vols' 5-star signee David Sanders is living up to the hype as nation's top offensive tackle

The Tennessee Vols made a huge splash during the 2025 recruiting cycle by signing five-star offensive tackle David Sanders Jr. 

Sanders, 6-foot-6/290 lbs from Charlotte, NC, is rated as the No. 1 offensive tackle in the nation and the No. 6 overall player in the 2025 recruiting class. 

The talented recruit arrived at Tennessee in December and went through College Football Playoff practices with the team. 

Sanders is participating at the 2025 Polynesian Bowl this week before returning to Knoxville for UT's spring semester. 

And according to 247Sports' Greg Biggins, Sanders has "lived up" to his ranking. 

Biggins specifically praised Sanders' "compete level" (which is as important as any measurement/metric when it comes to having success in the SEC). 

"All eyes have been on Sanders this week as he's the consensus No. 1 tackle in the country and overall, he has lived up to it," wrote Biggins. "For starters, you love the compete level. He was asking the coaches for more one one reps and wasn't hiding in the back of the group like we've seen in the past with some highly touted lineman. He plays with a nice physical edge to him with a strong punch and he's looking to finish. We've always liked his frame and mobility but he's a complete player and someone we could see making an early impact for the Vols."

Tennessee is certainly hoping that Sanders will make an early impact for the program. The plan is for Sanders to start at one of the offensive tackle positions as a true freshman for the Vols next fall (former LSU offensive lineman Lance Heard is expected to return as the other starting offensive tackle in 2025). 

That's a lot of pressure on a young player, but everything we've seen and heard from Sanders suggests he's a rare and advanced talent that can handle those types of expectations.