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5-star David Sanders is third-team tackle in Tennessee football practice. That won’t last
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- 5-star David Sanders is third-team tackle in Tennessee football practice. That won’t last
David Sanders , the No. 1 offensive tackle in the 2025 recruiting class, wasn't in the starting lineup when the huddle broke at Tennessee football spring practice on Monday.
Instead, Larry Johnson was at first-team right tackle. The former junior college transfer spent last season as a backup, so it made sense that he'd get a shot at the starting spot.
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But when Johnson rotated out of the lineup during the scrimmage portion of practice, Sanders didn't replace him. Instead, it was Brian Grant , who played only 37 offensive snaps last season.
Sanders finally got on the field when UT's third-team offense took its turn.
But don't read too much into that initial depth chart. The former five-star recruit is still a freshman, so he must earn his way up the depth chart. That shouldn't take long.
"I'm focused on understanding the offense and going out there and playing carefree because I feel like my best will get me moving up on the depth chart," Sanders said. "But I've got to understand the offense and understand what I'm doing so I can play with confidence.
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"And if I'm playing with confidence, I'm one of the best five we've got."
Could David Sanders follow Trey Smith 's footsteps?
Tennessee landed Sanders after a fierce recruiting battle with Ohio State and other elite programs. He carries extremely high expectations into his freshman season, including questions of whether he could start immediately in the Vols ' season opener against Syracuse on Aug. 30.
That's a rarity for freshman offensive linemen, but it's happened at UT before.
Five-star Trey Smith started all 12 games at tackle and guard as a freshman in 2017. He won two Super Bowls and earned a Pro Bowl selection with the Kansas City Chiefs .
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Five-star Wanya Morris started 12 games at left tackle as a freshman in 2019. He was a third-round pick of the Chiefs and won one Super Bowl.
Five-star Darnell Wright started seven games at right tackle and right guard as a freshman in 2019. He was a first-round pick of the Chicago Bears and an NFL All-Rookie team selection.
"(The possibility of starting) is definitely something that comes later in the fall," Sanders said. "... But there's a healthy competition in the room."
Here's the path to starting lineup for David Sanders
There are hints that Tennessee is preparing Sanders for the opportunity to start as a freshman.
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Sanders played left tackle in high school. But he switched to right tackle at Tennessee because left tackle Lance Heard is the only returning starter on the offensive line.
Also, Bennett Warren , a highly touted four-star tackle in 2024 class, is backing up Heard at left tackle. That further paves the way for Sanders to compete for the starting spot at right tackle.
But Sanders is focused on self-improvement rather than his competition.
"You don't want to come in cocky and arrogant because that's how you create animosity within your room. And then guys don't like you because you feel like you're better than they are," Sanders said. "You've got to come in and be humble, have a good attitude and work hard. If you work hard, you'll get the results that you want.
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"So I'm not getting too ahead of myself."
BOO CARTER DB moves to WR in Tennessee practice, catches Nico Iamaleava passes
David Sanders has gained 20 pounds, and he's not done
Give Sanders credit for recognizing his areas for improvement.
Despite his top rating as a recruit, he needed to gain weight and upper-body strength to compete in the SEC. So he spent the past two months doing extra weight lifting and eating several meals per day, as prescribed by the UT nutritional staff.
Sanders has bulked up his 6-foot-6 frame from 270 pounds to 290 since enrolling in January.
He wants to reach 305 pounds during the summer and maintain that weight during his freshman season.
Tennessee offensive lineman David Sanders JR. (70) at the first University of Tennessee spring football practice, Friday, March 7, 2025.
How Tennessee veterans welcomed David Sanders
Sanders seems to have a healthy self-awareness, including his high profile as a heralded recruit.
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That reality is hard to ignore. In December, Sanders announced he was signing with the Vols on "The Paul Finebaum Show" on SEC Network.
But he's tried to stay humble and endear himself to older teammates. To their credit, Heard and Johnson have taken him under their wing.
"When I first got here, I didn't know what to expect," said Sanders, who participated in UT's College Football Playoff practice in December. "Coming in like a big-time recruit, I didn't know if (Heard and Johnson) would take to me as much as they did.
"But they call me on the weekends and let me know when they're going to gym and when we're getting in extra work after practice. Those two guys have been great mentors for me."
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Sanders aims for NFL, but he's got an intriguing plan B
Sanders knows Tennessee fans hope that he can start immediately, play to an All-SEC level and develop into an early-round NFL Draft pick. That's the presumed path for five-star offensive tackles.
But Sanders said UT coaches have avoided putting extra pressure on him.
"I'm just relaxed now. Every day I come in, I'm able to go into the film room and ask questions freely," Sanders said. "I don't feel like I'm being rushed into something that I'm not ready for."
In fact, Sanders said the recruiting process was much more stressful than his time as a UT student-athlete. Now he's just focused on football and his studies as a kinesiology major.
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"I want to become an orthopedic surgeon," Sanders said. "That's always been an interest for me. And you've got to have a plan B."
Adam Sparks is the Tennessee football beat reporter. Email adam.sparks@knoxnews.com . X, formerly known as Twitter @AdamSparks . Support strong local journalism by subscribing at knoxnews.com/subscribe .
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This article originally appeared on Knoxville News Sentinel: David Sanders: Tennessee football 5-star tackle competing to start as freshman
