Josh Heupel has secured a major commitment.
David Sanders Jr., an offensive tackle from Providence Day School in Charlotte, NC, announced his commitment to the Tennessee Vols on Saturday afternoon. He chose Tennessee over other top programs including Nebraska, Ohio State, and Georgia.
Sanders is undoubtedly the crown jewel of Tennessee’s already impressive 2025 recruiting class. He’s a consensus five-star recruit, ranked as the number one player in North Carolina, and a top ten overall prospect across all major recruiting platforms (#3 by 247 Sports). He is also ranked as the #1 offensive tackle by most outlets, with the exception of On3 Sports, which ranks him at #2. Sanders is one of the most significant offensive line prospects the Vols have ever landed in the modern recruiting era, comparable to Trey Smith from the 2017 class.
Although many recruiting experts had Tennessee as the frontrunner for Sanders’ commitment, there was some uncertainty when he was recently seen wearing Ohio State gear. Despite this, Heupel and Tennessee offensive line coach Glen Elarbee successfully secured his commitment.
Sanders joins a class that also features OL Douglas Utu from Bishop Gorman High School in Las Vegas, NV, another top 100 recruit and the #4 interior offensive lineman. With Utu, who has experience playing both guard and tackle, Sanders adds significant strength to Tennessee’s future offensive line.
This is the kind of recruiting victory that can have lasting benefits for a program. Sanders is a championship-caliber player, complementing the elite quarterback prospects Heupel has attracted in the 2023-26 cycles. What once seemed like a distant dream for Tennessee fans is now becoming a reality.
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