Raw numbers show that true freshman is ready to take over as full-time starter for the Tennessee Vols

The time has arrived to make one ballyhooed true freshman an every-down player.

Craig Smith — College Football & NFL Trending News Writer
Add as preferred source on Google
Angelina Alcantar/News Sentinel / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

There was a huge amount of hype ahead of the 2025 season for Tennessee Vols true freshman David Sanders, Jr. The five-star recruit came to Knoxville as one of the most highly touted players in quite a while for the program.

A mysterious injury delayed the start of his college career until the win at Mississippi State, but Sanders has been ramping up his participation since then. After his strong performance against Alabama, it’s clearly time to lock him in as the full-time right tackle.

Tennessee freshman tackle David Sanders Jr. should be the full-time right tackle beginning on Saturday vs. Kentucky

Sanders came to Knoxville with as much hype and excitement as any true freshman in recent memory, and he appears penciled in as the starter on the right side coming into camp. However, he opened some eyes by being out for the team’s opener against Syracuse, and despite optimism about a quick return, he missed the Vols’ biggest home game against Georgia. During his absence, Josh Heupel referred to his injury as “unique” and said that doctors were “uncertain” regarding it.

Fortunately, Sanders worked his way onto the field more and more in the last three games, and he’s looking like a capable starter, particularly in pass protection. He played in 11, 22, and 49 offensive snaps against Mississippi State, Arkansas, and Alabama, respectively.

Of those 82 snaps, 46 have been pass blocking. He’s allowed no sacks and one QB pressure in those 46 snaps, and the one pressure came in his first game against the Bulldogs.

Jesse Perry has done a good job statistically in pass protection on the right side, allowing just six pressures in 244 pass blocking snaps. Still, Sanders has a far higher ceiling and appears to be getting comfortable. We’ll find out on Saturday if he’s ready to take over on an every-down level – or close to it – and begin what Vol fans hope is a terrific career for the Big Orange.

Related Articles