Buffalo Bills defensive tackle T.J. Sanders (98) works out during Minicamp at Highmark Stadium. Gregory Fisher-Imagn Images

Bills' second-round rookie projects as X-factor on 2025 defensive line

Originally posted on Buffalo Bills on SI
By Ronnie Eastham | Last updated Sep 5, 2025 2:40 PM ET

The Buffalo Bills made South Carolina defensive tackle TJ Sanders the No. 41 overall pick in the 2025 NFL Draft.

The second-round selection has had a solid camp and preseason. He is slated as the backup to Ed Oliver and will play a significant role in the defensive line rotation.

From what analyst Brian Baldinger says, Sanders has the movement and size necessary for the NFL level.

"Watch his movement, it shows up all the time. The big thing is, can he affect the quarterback in the pass game"? Sanders can be a disruptor on the Bills' defense, and as a high second-round pick, you can see the traits. That question will define Sanders’s rookie season.

College production and NFL potential

In Sanders' last two seasons at South Carolina, he recorded 9.5 sacks, 93 combined tackles, and 17 tackles for a loss.

Sanders is a penetrator and can be a very disruptive force on the defensive line. The question is whether that skill set will translate to the NFL level and how effective he can be in getting to the opposing quarterback and creating plays behind the line of scrimmage.

A rookie to watch

The Bills have a lot of question marks in the secondary with injuries to their starting cornerbacks and inexperience at safety. The one thing the Bills can do to help those guys out is to get after the quarterback and speed up his internal clock. That's where T.J. Sanders comes into play. He could be a difference maker for the Bills' defense.

T.J. Sanders isn’t just a depth piece, he’s a potential difference-maker. If his college production and preseason flashes translate, he could become one of the most important defenders on the Bills roster by playoff time.