TJ Sanders returning to South Carolina for 2024 season
South Carolina football will return one of its top talents for the 2024 season in defensive tackle TJ Sanders, GamecockCentral.com has learned.
Garnet Trust, the official NIL collective of University of South Carolina athletics, announced on Monday that it has signed Sanders to a name, image, and likeness (NIL) agreement.
The Marion (South Carolina) native signed with South Carolina as part of the 2021 recruiting class and had his best season yet as a redshirt sophomore this season.
During the 2023 campaign, Sanders tallied 43 tackles, 9.5 tackles for loss, 4.5 sacks, and 4 pass breakups.
Fellow Gamecocks defensive lineman Tonka Hemingway has also publicly indicated that he will be returning for another year in the Garnet and Black.
TJ Sanders Bio
u 2023 Rex Enright Defensive Player of the Spring
u 2023 co-South Carolina Spirit Award – Defense
Talented defensive lineman who continues to improve… big, athletic player who will push to be an every-down guy in the fall… leader in the room… has appeared in 14 games over the past two seasons… turned in an impressive spring session when he was recognized as the Rex Enright Defensive Player of the Spring and shared the Spirit Award for the defense with Alex Huntley.
2022 (Redshirt Freshman)
Appeared in 12 games… did not play against Charlotte… credited with 16 tackles including 1.0 sack, a pass breakup and two quarterback hurries… posted his first career tackle against Arkansas, first pass breakup against Georgia and first quarterback hurry of the season in the win over South Carolina State… also had a QB hurry at Vanderbilt… credited with a tackle in each of the final seven games… had three tackles including his first sack and tackle for loss at Florida… put together a solid TaxSlayer Gator Bowl game against Notre Dame with a career-high four stops.
2021 (Freshman)
True freshman defensive lineman who saw action in two contests… appeared in both the season opener against Eastern Illinois and in the season finale against North Carolina in the Duke’s Mayo Bowl… credited with a quarterback hurry versus EIU… redshirted in his first season with the Garnet & Black.Â
HIGH SCHOOL
Played defensive tackle and tight end at Marion (S.C.) High School, graduating in 2021… helped the Swamp Foxes reach the Class 2A state championship game as a senior in 2020… named the HSSR-SCHSL AA Defensive Player of the Year… posted 26 tackles with five tackles for loss and a pair of sacks as a junior in 2019… coached by Randall State… also played basketball… averaged a double-double on the hardwood as a junior, earning 6-3A Player of the Year accolades… rated as the eighth-best player in South Carolina, the 40th-best defensive tackle in the country and No. 662 overall by 247Sports Composite… Rivals ranked him as the seventh-best player in the state.
PERSONAL
Tanaeri J. Sanders was born July 30, 2003… is a criminology and criminal justice major.
