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South Carolina DT T.J. Sanders selected in 2025 NFL Draft

imageby: Jack Veltri04/25/25jacktveltri
South Carolina defensive lineman TJ Sanders. (Photo by Chris Gillespie/GamecockCentral)
South Carolina defensive lineman T.J. Sanders. (Photo by Chris Gillespie/GamecockCentral)

The Buffalo Bills selected South Carolina defensive tackle T.J. Sanders with the No. 9 pick in the second round of the NFL Draft on Friday. He was the draft’s 41st overall selection.

Sanders had another year of eligibility remaining, but opted not to use it and instead turned pro.

With the Bills, Sanders joins a team that is a perennial contender. However, Buffalo logged just eight total sacks from the interior of the defensive line a season ago. An athletic tackle like Sanders might be one of the pieces needed to get the Bills to the Big Game for the first time since the 1990s. The former Gamecock will push for playing time early if things go well for him.

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Sanders, who was with the Gamecocks since head coach Shane Beamer’s first year, spent four years with the program and had a great career. He appeared in 39 career games with 16 starts and recorded 109 tackles with 17.5 tackles for loss and 9.5 sacks.

After earning third-team All-SEC honors from College Football Network in 2023, Sanders saved his best for last as he was named All-SEC first team this past season. He finished fifth on the team and led the defensive linemen with 50 tackles, including 7.0 tackles for loss and 4.0 sacks.

Some of Sanders’ accomplishments at South Carolina include:

*2024 Third-Team All-America (College Football Nation)
*2024 First-Team All-SEC (College Football Nation)
*2024 Second-Team All-SEC (AP, Phil Steele)
*2024 SEC Interior Defender of the Year (College Football Nation)
*2023 Third-Team All-SEC (College Football Network)
*2023 Fourth-Team All-SEC (Phil Steele)
*2023 Nutrition Award
*2023 Rex Enright Defensive Player of the Spring
*2023 co-South Carolina Spirit Award – Defense

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