The 2020 season will be a yearlong shot at redemption for Ja’Tavion Sanders after being just one play away from winning a state championship. However, he is not alone in his journey as fellow 2021 Longhorns commit, Billy Bowman Jr., will attempt to lead the Ryan Raiders to their first state title since the 2002 football season.
Sanders is a highly touted five-star prospect and is the second ranked athlete and the 24th ranked player nationally in the entire 2021 class, according to the 247Sports Composite. Ja’Tavion committed to joining the Longhorns in September of 2019.
Sophomore & Junior Season Statistics (Via: 247Sports)
Defense: 93 tackles, 43 tackles for a loss and 20.5 sacks.
Offense: 1,141 receiving yards.
Strengths:
Sanders has a skillset that easily translates to many different positions. He has great hands for a man of his size (listed at 6’3.5″ and 220 pounds) and showcases his ball skills when positioned as a wide receiver. In addition, Ja’Tavion excels as an edge rusher and seems to always find his way to the ball.
Sanders’s athleticism stands out as he is fast enough to run past defenders when positioned out wide and is quick off the line of attack when rushing off of the edge. He possesses a certain level of fluidity for an athlete of his size and has no problem using his speed to find holes in the coverage.
Needs Improvement:
Sanders’s determination to crush the quarterback can be seen on every single play, however he needs to work at further developing his pass rushing techniques in order to succeed at the next level.
What I See:
The sky is the limit for Ja’Tavion Sanders. Once Sanders arrives on campus and fills out his frame, he has the potential to be a dominant pass rusher and/or solve the tight end problem that has plagued the Longhorns for over a decade. Sanders has proven that he is capable of making big plays and possesses the speed to be a difference maker at multiple positions on the field. Don’t be shocked if he develops into an early NFL Draft pick.
