Rocket Sanders secures first NFL touchdown in preseason game vs. Saints
Rocket Sanders found the end zone with just enough time to spare in the first game of his young NFL career. The Los Angeles Chargers rookie running back found paydirt on an 11-yard run late in the fourth quarter of a preseason game Sunday against the New Orleans Saints.
Sanders made a couple of moves to the outside and found some room, running around the edge to break free. He sprinted past the pursuing defenders and across the plane just in time to add to the Chargers’ lead, making it 27-10 with under two minutes remaining.
Sanders signed with the Chargers as an undrafted free agent out of South Carolina this offseason. He joins a room that features veteran Najee Harris and fellow rookie Omarion Hampton, a first-round pick.
Neither Harris nor Hampton got any playing time on Sunday as Sanders looked to separate himself from the other players such as Kimani Vidal and Hassan Haskins. Sanders finished with 42 yards rushing and the touchdown on 10 carries to lead all backs.
Sanders was the leading rusher this past season at South Carolina, finishing with 881 yards and 11 touchdowns on the ground. He also showed off his ability as a pass catcher with 27 receptions for 316 yards and two touchdowns.
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The running back initally began his career at Arkansas in 2021. Three seasons in Fayetteville were full of success, specifically in 2022. Sanders ran for 1,443 yards and 10 touchdowns while averaging 6.5 yards per carry. An injury in 2023 kept the running back limited, playing in just six games.
He bounced back with the Gamecocks to be one of three players named the Comeback Player of the Year according to the Associated Press. Now he’ll hope to carry over his success from college into the pros and prove himself on the Chargers’ roster.
Rocket Sanders played high school football at Rockledge (FL), where he was a three-star prospect. He was the No. 407 overall recruit in the 2021 cycle, according to the On3 | Rivals Industry Ranking, a weighted average that utilizes all four major recruiting media companies.
We’ll have to wait and see how things play out over the remainder of the offseason and whether Sanders can potentially work his way up the depth chart. The Chargers have two more preseason games on their schedule, beginning with a matchup against the Los Angeles Rams on Saturday.