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Drew Sanders, LB
School: Arkansas | Conference: SEC
College Experience: Junior | Age: 23
Height / Weight: 6’4” / 235 lbs
Projected Draft Status: 2nd Round
Player Comparison: Karlos Dansby
College Statistics
| Tackles | Def Int | Fumbles | |||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Year | School | Conf | Class | Pos | G | Solo | Ast | Tot | Loss | Sk | Int | Yds | Avg | TD | PD | FR | Yds | TD | FF |
| *2020 | Alabama | SEC | FR | LB | 8 | 4 | 5 | 9 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |||
| *2021 | Alabama | SEC | SO | LB | 7 | 12 | 12 | 24 | 2.5 | 1.0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | |||
| *2022 | Arkansas | SEC | JR | LB | 12 | 40 | 63 | 103 | 13.5 | 9.5 | 1 | 13 | 13.0 | 0 | 5 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 3 |
| Career | Overall | 56 | 80 | 136 | 16.0 | 10.5 | 1 | 13 | 13.0 | 0 | 7 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 3 | ||||
| Alabama | 16 | 17 | 33 | 2.5 | 1.0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | ||||||||
| Arkansas | 40 | 63 | 103 | 13.5 | 9.5 | 1 | 13 | 13.0 | 0 | 5 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 3 | |||||
Player Overview
There may be fewer things that Drew Sanders didn’t do on a football field than things he did. In high school, Sanders played quarterback, wide receiver, tight end, defensive end, and linebacker. The five-star prospect chose to attend Alabama and narrow his focus to defensive end. He played special teams as a freshman before getting the chance to start his sophomore year. An injury that year limited his playing time. In the offseason, he decided to transfer to Arkansas and transition to middle linebacker. It was a great decision that paid off with career highs in just about every major statistical category, finishing the season an All-American.
Strengths
- Tall, solidly built prospect
- Strong enough to take on and shed blockers
- Violent hitter, often throwing ball carriers to the ground
- In zone coverage, good awareness with great closing speed
- May offer flexibility as a situational pass rusher
Weaknesses
- May lack speed to play sideline-to-sideline
- Limited man coverage reps
- Can struggle to locate ball carriers coming through the line of scrimmage
- May miss tackles because he tackles too high
Let’s see his work
Tyler Scott is able to break multiple tackles on this reception, including against Arkansas LB Drew Sanders, to turn this catch into an explosive play.
— WBG84 (@WBG84) February 24, 2023
Whether it's his dynamic deep-speed, shiftiness or breaking tackles, he's a dangerous weapon in the open-field. #NFLDraft pic.twitter.com/OhDKCUJH2c
More of Drew Sanders in run defense. pic.twitter.com/3aXlkKql5r
— Tyler Browning (@DiabeticTyler) February 24, 2023
Up and over, inside swim from Drew Sanders pic.twitter.com/sF5k6vB0k2
— Tyler Browning (@DiabeticTyler) February 24, 2023
How he fits on the Commanders
You may be unaware, but the Commanders could use help at linebacker. The team only has Jamin Davis, David Mayo, Khaleke Hudson, Milo Eifler, and Nathan Gerry under contract. Only Davis weighs more than 230 lbs, so adding another large, athletic linebacker would be ideal. Free agency could see the team re-sign Cole Holcomb or bring in a veteran, but if they don’t, Sanders in the draft could provide a talented prospect to play next to Davis. He is fairly new to the position, so I think some of his weaknesses will improve with more time reps. My big question is can he help resolve the Commanders’ lingering problem of poor coverage from its linebackers. If he can do that, he might be prospect worthy of a Commanders’ early pick.
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