Future Broncos: South Carolina defensive tackle T.J. Sanders

If the Denver Broncos want to add to their defensive trenches, South Carolina defensive lineman T.J. Sanders is a prospect they should consider on Day 2.

The Denver Broncos had a breakout year on defense in 2024. A large part of that was due to much improved play by their defensive line. The added talent via trade and free agency proved to be a formidable force for opposing offensive lines to combat on a weekly basis. On top of that, a well-deserved tip of the cap is in order to Defensive Coordinator Vance Joseph and his position coaches who did a fantastic job with their adjustments last season.

The defensive line will continue to be a strength as the franchise heads toward their 2025 campaign. They are scheduled to bring back all of their core players on the unit from last season. However, Zach Allen, John Franklin-Myers, and Malcolm Roach are all scheduled to hit free agency at year’s end. It’s unlikely they will be able to keep all three of those players for the future. That’s why I believe it’s paramount they add to the group with one of their top picks in the 2025 NFL Draft.

South Carolina standout T.J. Sanders is a prospect that should definitely be on their radar. Sanders was a focus of mine late in the college football season for a Future Broncos segment. He had an incredible redshirt junior season for the Gamecocks and amassed 50 tackles, 7 of them for loss, and 4 sacks on the year. His ‘24 performance earned him First-Team All-SEC honors and recognition as the conference’s Interior Defender of the Year.

When you play high quality football in the nation’s best conference, general managers and scouts are going to have significant interest in your talent and abilities. I have no doubt that is the case with Sanders. Let’s take a deeper look at his strengths and weaknesses, and why and when the Broncos should consider adding him to their defensive line rotation in this year’s draft.

Player Profile: T.J. Sanders — Defensive Tackle — South Carolina

Height: 6’4” | Weight: 304 pounds | Arm Length: 33-1/8” | Hand Size: 10-1/4”

40-yard dash: 4.95 seconds | 3-Cone: 7.7 seconds | Shuttle: 4.67 seconds | Vertical: 31.5”

Statistics at South Carolina: 39 games [two-year starter], 109 tackles, 18 tackles for loss, 9.5 sacks.

Film Room & Highlights

Hart’s Scouting Report

Positives:

• Boasts impressive size, long arms, and good athleticism
• Heavy-handed defender that packs a punch and sports great strength at the point of attack and
• Alignment versatile capable of playing inside and out in Vance Joseph’s defense
• Productive player who was extremely disruptive on twists and stunts
• Quality interior pressure generator that utilizes a handful of pass rush moves and was credited with 60 pressures over the last two seasons
• Had highlight performances against top-tier SEC programs [Oklahoma (‘24) Missouri (‘24), Georgia (‘23)] that produce a lot of offensive line talent...