The Buffalo Bills think the quick-twitch explosiveness new defensive tackle T.J. Sanders displays on the football field will help him be an impact player on their defense.
Sanders credits his background as a basketball player with helping him be a playmaker on the defensive line.
The 6-foot-4, 300-pounder from the University of South Carolina was selected with the 41st overall pick in the second round of the 2025 NFL draft on Friday night.
He didn鈥檛 start playing football until his junior year at Marion (S.C.) High School. Basketball was his main sport, and he was good at it, earning all-state honors his junior year after averaging 18 points, 12 rebounds and two blocks per game.
Defensive tackle T.J. Sanders, running a drill during South Carolina's pro day in March, was picked 41st overall by the Bills.
Sanders arrived in Buffalo on Saturday and explained the hoops influence on his football play in his first meeting with media.
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鈥淚 feel like it helped a lot,鈥 Sanders said. 鈥淛ust being more athletic than guys at my position, being able to move laterally, vertical, whatever I鈥檝e got to do to get the job done. Just my hands. I feel like dribbling the ball, something like that helped being coordinated because I had no technique, then my technique just kept improving every year.鈥
Sanders said his focus on basketball kept him from considering football when he got to high school.
鈥淥ne of my best friends, KyHeim Bethea, he was trying to get me out there every year, from eighth grade summer to 10th grade summer,鈥 Sanders said. 鈥溾楥ome on man, you can come play football and be a difference maker on the team.鈥 I鈥檓 like, 鈥楤ro, what you mean? How can I help?鈥 The first year they won one game, the second year they won one game. When he got me out there, my first year playing, we won seven. He was all in my ear, 鈥業 told you so, I told you so.鈥 鈥
Sanders said he had some mid-major basketball programs recruiting him during his junior year, when he was a 220-pound power forward.
鈥淚t wasn鈥檛 like I was a pure mainly post-up guy. I feel like I was more Nikola Jokic,鈥 Sanders said, referring to the NBA most valuable player for the Denver Nuggets.
T.J. Sanders speaks to reporters on Saturday.
South Carolina offered Sanders a football scholarship after his junior high school year, and he decided that was the end of his basketball career.
In his senior year of high school, Sanders helped Marion High鈥檚 football team to an 8-2 record and a trip to the 2A South Carolina state championship game. Sanders was all-state in football as a senior and was the 2020 defensive player of the year in the state.
Sanders used his quickness to be a disruptor for the Gamecocks in 2023 and 2024. Over the past two years, he had 8.0 sacks and 16.5 tackles for loss. He also had 19 hurries and nine hits on the quarterback in 2024.
鈥淚鈥檝e seen T.J. live three or four times the last two years,鈥 said Bills general manager Brandon Beane. 鈥淗e stands out on tape, his athleticism, his size, the way he uses his length. He鈥檚 got the moves of a basketball player inside. Like, he鈥檚 just feeling it. He grew up playing basketball. He picked up football later. He鈥檚 just a naturally gifted athlete.鈥
The Bills are counting on Sanders being a force in pass-rushing situations while playing next to veteran Ed Oliver on the interior of the defensive line.
鈥淚 know that slide is not coming my way with big Ed over there,鈥 Sanders said, referring to the protection by opposing offensive lines. 鈥(I saw) a lot of double teams these past few years, you know, they鈥檙e all on him now. I鈥檓 happy to get my one on ones again.鈥
The Bills added a defensive end in the third round with the selection of Arkansas鈥 Landon Jackson. Then they picked a bigger, run-plugging defensive tackle in the fourth round with the selection of Kentucky鈥檚 Deone Walker, who weighed 331 pounds in February but who played at 345 last season.
鈥淚 seen they got Deone Walker, and I called him immediately,鈥 Sanders said. 鈥淢e and Deone, we grew a relationship at the Senior Bowl and the combine. We were the first group out at the Senior Bowl, and we were like, man could you imagine this duo? Now we鈥檙e getting it, and it鈥檚 just crazy how life works.鈥
Sanders toured the Bills鈥 headquarters Saturday with his mother, Leticia.
鈥淚t was great,鈥 Sanders said. 鈥淲e didn鈥檛 really get a chance to visit colleges because of Covid. Just having a chance to do this and share it with her, I couldn鈥檛 ask for anybody better to share it with. ... It鈥檚 crazy. One minute you鈥檝e only got a dream to go to the NFL. The next minute, you鈥檙e a Buffalo Bill. It was just surreal, hearing my name called, getting that phone call. The emotions were everywhere.鈥
