Five-star David Sanders Jr. just announced his final six contenders. The offensive tackle out of Charlotte (N.C.) Providence Day has narrowed his focus to Tennessee, Georgia, Clemson, South Carolina, Ohio State, and Alabama.
Sanders goes in-depth on each of his finalists below but some of his comments reveal a bit about where his recruitment could be headed.
On if Tennessee, Georgia, and Clemson are the upper tier of his top six- “I would definitely say that's an accurate statement for sure,” Sanders said. “Those are some of the schools that have been recruiting me the hardest, but I feel like my top six is really an even playing field. We're going to start from ground zero all over again. I feel like everybody that's in here has the greatest shot of landing me so it's going to be who can do the best from now to the time I make my decision. In my opinion, these spring visits, spending time around these programs, these players and the coaching staff, and the area I'm going to be in is going to be the most important time for me to really feel like I can be successful at these universities. It is more than football. Who can really provide those off-the-field opportunities for me to be successful as a young man is going to be a very, very important piece for me. I really like all six schools and I wouldn't put anybody over anybody at this point.”
On what’s next in his recruitment- “I have not finished finalizing the visit schedule yet,” he said. “My mom, my dad, and I are still calling schools to make sure they have practices and making sure I don't have school. We should have that within the next week. Everybody will have an unofficial visit and an official visit.
“I'm really thinking about the August or September range (for my commitment),” said Sanders. “After those officials, we'll really sit down with the family throughout July and take a break from the recruiting process, take a break from interviews and talking to people. I feel like all the information that we're going to have needed to make that decision will be given to us between the spring and official visits so that'll be the most important time for me. I definitely don't want to take it too deep into my senior year because I just want to enjoy being with the guys. I'll be graduating early so I just want to enjoy the last couple of months as a high school athlete.”
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TENNESSEE
“I just loved everything they've been doing with their program within the last few years," said Sanders. "It's been an amazing development, especially coach Earbee and coach Heupel coming in and really changing that program from what it was to how we see it now. They have an amazing future ahead of them, I believe, with Nico (Iamaleava) at quarterback and then they have George (MacIntyre) coming in that 2025 class. I just think the future is very, very bright for the University of Tennessee. They've done an amazing job getting to know me as a person, getting to know me as a player, and getting to know my family as well. Their overall way of recruiting has been amazing and I just love everybody inside the program as far as offensive line coach, receiver coaches, the general managers, and everybody. It has been amazing.”
On if Tennessee was the team he was most excited about coming out of the January contact period- "I would say that's about correct," he said. "The amount of effort they put in recruiting me within this last year, I would say they've been recruiting me the best out of anybody. That 'need versus want' factor plays a huge role. They have plenty of off-the-field opportunities that you can get involved in.
"Obviously they have a bright future with their quarterback Nico and bringing in George with that 2025 class," said Sanders. "I think they're going to have a smooth transition between those two guys.
"I love coach Elarbee and the way he coaches," he said. "He coaches the guys hard. The current offensive linemen that are there now, we have good relationships with them. I talk to them on a regular basis. It's even beyond football. They're just talking to me and seeing how the recruiting process is going and things like that. It's just been a blessing being able to build those relationships with the University of Tennessee and I think that's something they've been really running with, those relationships and just how grateful they are to have me and my family in their life."
GEORGIA
"They've been high on my list since I started this thing," Sanders said. "You can't overlook Georgia, the back-to-back national champions known for developing five-star talent and continuing that all the way through their college career and becoming first round draft picks. They've done an amazing job as well just recruiting me throughout this process, getting me on campus multiple times, getting me to the game so I can really feel that atmosphere and feel what the University of Georgia is about. I love everything about Georgia and what they stand for as a program. Coach Smart has done a great job just managing that program with everything they have going on and still making time for recruits like myself to feel wanted and needed within the program.
"Out of everybody on the list, I've known coach Searels the longest," he said. "He met me when I was going into the eighth grade and I did my first camp at the University of North Carolina. I was playing tight end and defensive end and he told me I was going to be a first round left tackle one day. I didn't believe him at the time, but here we are. Having that relationship with him and him going to the University of Georgia, it's been an amazing thing for me getting to talk to him on a regular basis and watching him develop that offensive line has been amazing. I've been up there multiple times, I think at least six times probably. Watching guys interact with him just goes to show how much care and love he has for them. That just goes beyond the recruiting aspect, that goes to those relationships. You can only fake it but so much and the way the guys respond to you is a true reflection on how you really are as a person. I feel like he's truly himself and he really shows you what you're going to get if you were to come play for him.
"Coach Smart has done a great job with Georgia and just having them prepared each and every week to go dominate teams.," said Sanders. "They go dominate each and every week. If you want to be a part of that, you know what you're going to sign up for and the standard is to win a national championship. In my opinion, I feel like, at Georgia, if you don't win a national championship that's a failed season. I feel like, for me with my skill set and my leadership qualities, I could bring a different type of flair to the team and we'd definitely be rolling."
CLEMSON
"Clemson is amazing," Sanders said. "Everybody knows that Clemson was my dream school growing up so there's a little bit of a heartstring thing with them. They have also done an amazing job just recruiting me. Everybody knows they don't just offer everybody in the country so getting that offer as a junior and being the first one to get the Clemson offer was just something that you can't take for granted. Everything that Clemson offers as a university is amazing for all and off the field opportunities, their PAW journey, and their academics are amazing. Clemson all around is a holistic school that you can really benefit from. I really like coach Swinney and everything he's done with the program and coach Luke being an addition to that coaching staff has been amazing. I love his energy and everything he brings to the recruiting and to this team.
"With Clemson, they have those heartstrings of me just being a diehard fan as that six year old, seven year old little kid sitting up on a Monday night and I have school in the morning begging my parents let me watch the national championship," he said. "I remember things like that as a little kid just cheering for Clemson, watching them run down that hill. That was just something I dreamed about as a little kid.
"I think the biggest thing for me with Clemson is just those relationships and how they recruited me," said Sanders. "They weren't one of the schools that offered early. They offered me in my junior year, but they were one of those schools that I really felt comfortable with throughout the process. I think bringing coach Luke in was a great addition for them. Everything he brings to the table as far as recruiting and to the team, I think he's one of the best in my opinion that I've seen so far. I look forward to getting up there in the spring and watching him interact with the guys, interact with the coaches and things like that. Everything that Clemson stands for is amazing with the off-the-field opportunities and then just building you up from a young man to a man is something you can't take for granted."
SOUTH CAROLINA
"South Carolina is definitely the closest school to me," Sanders said. "It's only an hour and a half drive. That's something really, really important to me, considering how tight I am with my family and having three younger sisters that will be growing up. Distance plays a little bit of a factor. I just see South Carolina as a land of opportunity. They're not known as a big powerhouse in the SEC or a big powerhouse in college football at all so you can go in there and really change the program around to what you want it to be. If you go there and then you make something of yourself, you can be legendary at South Carolina. You win a national championship there, that's something that's unheard of down in Columbia, unlike some of the other schools that are in the conversation. I feel like South Carolina has a unique opportunity for me just to go and just be legendary.
"Knowing that they're investing within their team and they're starting up front with Kam (Pringle), Blake (Franks), and Josiah (Thompson)," he said. "Those are the three of the best offensive linemen that they had in that class in 2024 so starting early and building that line up front is going to be very, very big for them, especially playing in the SEC. You can't be playing in the SEC with no little guys so you have to go out and recruit the best to really be able to compete at the highest level. I think they really established themselves as one of those programs that knew they weren't one of the best teams in the SEC but still came after me saying I could come and really make a difference in their program and I can be the change for the University of South Carolina. For me, it was more of a 'we need you' than 'we would like to have you' type of factor. I feel if I was to go to South Carolina, I would be valued more than an athlete and as a person. If you go to South Carolina and win a national championship, you'll be legendary down there in Columbia. They'll probably have a statue of you if win the national championship down there."
OHIO STATE
"Obviously they're such a far distance away," Sanders said. "They call me on a regular basis and we're building those relationships. Knowing that I'm a kid from down south with all these big SEC and ACC schools down here right in my backyard pretty much, they've done an amazing job. They're known for making bookend tackles. Having that opportunity to be coached by the best and play the best each and every Saturday is something that really appeals to me.
"The distance plays a large factor in getting there and being able to spend time within the program," he said. "That plays a big factor but, overall, coach Frye does a great job. I think the intensity that he brings to his team really brings out that team camaraderie and they play for him like he cares about them. We talk on a regular basis, so I feel comfortable with him and with him being able to develop me into a first round draft pick."
ALABAMA
"Obviously I was very, very big on Alabama before the coaching switch," Sanders said. "I believe that that program has a stamp on it and it's always going to be a legendary program. To know that you can play for the University of Alabama and the history within the program is amazing. With the new coaching staff, it has been great because I really like coach DeBoer and everything he brings to the table as far as recruiting and his coaching style. I feel like the way he did things at Washington really fits my coaching style, the way he recruits, the way his tackles look, and things like that. The way he broke it down to me and how I can help his program really resonated with me and my family when we got to meet with him back in January. From the time he got the job he let me know how big of an asset I was to them and their program to make them successful and to keep that Alabama tradition going.
"Building those relationships is going to be big for me because I'm just really, really big on relationships and trusting people because I come from a very tight knit family and it's really just me and my parents and my siblings," he said. "They've done an amazing job establishing themselves and telling me they understand there is change, they let me know that they're still there and I'm still a priority for this 2025 class."
