David Sanders injury update: Decision made on Tennessee OT vs. ETSU

Tennessee offensive tackle David Sanders will miss the Volunteers Week 2 matchup against ETSU, per On3’s Chris Low. The true freshman missed last week’s season opener as well.

Sanders suffered an injury in the days leading up to last week’s season opener against Syracuse. He was spotted on the sidelines in sweats and his jersey, and it appears that he’ll be in the same uniform this weekend.

Sanders was a top-10 recruit in the 2025 recruiting class, and arguably the crown jewel of Tennessee’s 2025 cycle. A Five-Star Plus+ recruit, he was the No. 9 overall recruit and No. 2 overall offensive tackle out of Charlotte, NC.

The 6-foot-6, 305-pounder was named to the 2025 On3 True Freshman Preseason All-America Team ahead of the 2025 season. He’ll figure to be a mainstay of the Volunteers’ offensive line once he’s healthy.

However, with no specific timetable for his return, it’s unclear we he’ll exactly return. Tennessee head coach Josh Heupel hinted after the Syracuse victory that he didn’t expect Sanders to be out for very long.

“Just late in practice on Wednesday kind of got nicked up,” Tennessee head coach Josh Heupel said following the game. “Anticipated him being able to play. This morning, our medical staff just felt like it probably wasn’t the right thing to do. We are always going to be mindful of our guys and their health. If they get cleared they’re ready to roll and we’ll go play with them.”

It appears the injury may taking longer than anticipated for his recovery. Or the Volunteers are playing it safe for Saders against their non-conference opponents. They’ll hope to have his services return to the field by Week 3 as Tennessee is scheduled to host Georgia on Sept. 13.

Sanders has been with the program since January, arriving in Knoxville as an early enrollee and has made his presence known ever since. He came to the program with a horde of accolades as well.

Before ever arriving on campus, Sanders was named the 2023 North Carolina Gatorade Player of the Year after leading Providence Day (NC) School to three straight NCISAA state championships. He was also 2024 finalist for Mr. Football in the state of North Carolina — a tough feat for an offensive lineman — by multiple publications.

He’ll look on from the sidelines when the Vols face ETSU in their home opener. Kickoff is set for 3:30 p.m. ET live on ESPN+.