A true freshman dropped some strong words about David Sanders and it says a lot about the character of Tennessee’s starting left tackle
Former five-star recruit David Sanders Jr is entering his second season with the Tennessee Vols.
Tennessee Vols sophomore offensive lineman David Sanders Jr was one of the most hyped recruits in the nation two years ago.
Sanders, who will start at left tackle for the Volunteers this fall, was rated in 247Sports’ composite rankings as the No. 6 overall player in the 2025 recruiting class.
Often with five-star recruits, there are questions about the player’s attitude. Are they arrogant? Or are they a good teammate?
Sanders has always had a strong reputation for being a hard-working and humble kid.
But if anyone had any doubt — specifically opposing fans — Vols true freshman offensive lineman Kamari Blair made it clear this week that Sanders is an elite teammate.
“Tremendous leader,” said Blair when asked about Sanders on Thursday. “I walked in here thinking that he was like a hot shot superstar. But me and Gabe (Osenda), we’re the tackles behind him, and the first thing we did together was go over the playbook.
“He’s just been a real big help. In [individual drills] with Coach (Glen) Elarbee, he’s looking at my footwork and tweaking small things for me to help me.”
Superstar players come in all different forms. But more often than not, the players who become elite are humble, hard-working, coachable, confident, and one of the best teammates on the roster.
And that’s Sanders to a T.
Sanders’ talent is undeniable, but the intangibles are what truly make him a special player.
Tennessee has a future first rounder anchoring the left side of the offensive line.
