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
• Still only 21 years old with his best football ahead of him

Negatives:

• Inconsistent pad level and technique can cause issues with leverage at the point of attack and bring about some issues maintaining his ground in run defense
• Needs to keep moving his feet on initial contact which will help him be more consistent converting speed to power
• Can be overwhelmed by double teams
• Impact waned late in games and could be a byproduct of conditioning issues—though interestingly enough—he has added on fifteen pounds from his ‘24 playing weight through the NFL Combine to his Pro Day

Hart’s Projection: Top 50 Selection | Middle Second Round Value

Why the Denver Broncos should consider drafting Sanders

In order to succeed in the National Football League, generating pressure on defense is an absolute must. This year’s draft has a lot of depth and talent on the defensive line. That’s a good thing for the Broncos who would be wise to invest in the position long-term with a high-profile collegiate talent.

Sanders is one of the most disruptive interior rushers in this year’s class. He has positional and alignment versatility and would be a good spell player for Franklin-Myers at the 4i technique. Not only that, but he can kick down further inside on pure passing downs and subpackages. It never hurts to add more pressure players to your defensive front. It’s a recipe for success that certainly helped the Philadelphia Eagles win the Super Bowl this past season.

The length-to-impact for rookie defensive lineman can vary greatly with most players hitting their stride a season or two into their careers after. Given some aforementioned concerns, that will likely be the case for the Gamecocks standout. However, his pass rush talent and overall skillset will give him the ability to make an impact as a role player in his rookie campaign—with the hope he can ascend to a starting level of snaps in his second season.

If the Broncos don’t address the defensive line in the first round, Sanders is certainly a prospect that would be near the top of my draft wish list in the second round. He has garnered a lot of interest on the pre-draft circuit and has met with nearly a third of teams for Top 30 visits. He isn’t yet the sum of all his parts, but I believe he will eventually become a force to be reckoned with after a few years in the NFL.