The Beanstalk -Drew Sanders, Arkansas

First Round Mock’s William Yanish is fired up about Arkansas’ linebacker (LB) Drew Sanders.

That’s all that has been going through my head since I started this evaluation about Sanders.

Fee-Fi-Fo-Fum

I was just minding my own business. All of the sudden, I’m like you know what? I need to do a linebacker evaluation.

Eeny, Meeny, Miny, Moe…

Wow! Sanders from the University of Arkansas is 6-foot-5, 233 pounds. He’s like a miniature giant from Jack and the Beanstalk.

Background on Sanders

Sanders hails from Denton, Texas. He is a coach’s son, who played quarterback (QB), wide receiver (WR), defensive-end (DE), and inside-linebacker (ILB) in high school. If he could score touchdowns (TD) doing it, he did.

The definition of versatile.

He was five-star recruit had a scholarship offer from almost every top-25 ranked college in the country. After two years at Alabama as a situational pass rusher, he decided to transfer. He took his chances as a hybrid defender at the University of Arkansas.

This past season was special

As soon as Sanders cleats hit the grass at Razorback Stadium, it was like his hair caught fire! Through his first seven games, he was responsible for 63 tackles, 7.5 tackles for loss (TFL), 6.5 sacks, and three forced fumbles (FF).

This Arkansas defender is part of a new breed of LB. He’s a versatile, supremely gifted athlete that can lineup at any LB spot on the field, even as a DE in a base 4-3 defensive scheme, (four down linemen and three linebackers). The defense at Arkansas ran a variety of 3-3-5 (three down linemen, three LBs, five defensive backs). They would generally rush four defenders, with any variety of the LB’s on any given down.

What the game film says about #42

Sanders is truly is a sideline-to-sideline player.

Whether he’s rushing the passer, or playing in coverage, he gets it done. His instincts are great, and rarely takes a bad angle to the ball. Excellent in pursuit and he plays the QBs eyes.

The acceleration and closing speed he utilizes is fun to watch. Those traits make him perfect for a “Spy” role versus mobile quarterbacks. A spy is typically a LB or safety playing the QB’s movement. However, with Sanders he can move so quickly, he’s playing the ball, not just the QB. He’s in the mold of a “Robber” type coverage, which is generally a strong safety cheating down to jump routes, or simply just take away the middle of the field.

Sanders possesses height, and length that will make a QB think twice about attempting to throw over the top of him.

One shortcoming is he is not overly strong.

He’s always around the ball and a good wrapping fundamental tackler, who sticks to ball carriers so they can’t escape.

Sanders had a couple of nice open-field tackles of QB Bryce Young and running back Jahmyr Gibbs versus Alabama.

As a pass rusher, Sanders has motor that doesn’t quit, and a lightning quick first step.

Against Cincinnati (2022) in the film embedded below (5:00 mark) you will see exactly what he’s about as a pass-rusher. The dude has moves. Flexibility shows up which allows him to not only get through blockers, but also around them.

The bottom line

Sanders’ football IQ is off-the-charts. He will make any team better, and he has a low bust probability. You can never have too many pass-rushers, especially ones that have the moves that he does. He can be every bit a three-down LB, but not in the traditional sense. I’d want him on my team any day of the week, and twice on Sunday.

He has the NFL in his sights.

He was quoted saying “Football is not a lifetime sport, it’s a once in a lifetime sport.”

My BIG Three Questions?

1. Will he keep the same hybrid role from Arkansas?

2. How high can he expand his ceiling?

3. Will he add weight before the draft, and possibly sacrificing speed?

How Sanders stacks up and game film reviewed

Draft Grade: First-Round

Game film reviewed:

(2021 Sanders is #20 on Alabama/2022 Sanders is #42 on Arkansas)

Ole Miss ’21

Cincinnati ’22

South Carolina ’22

Alabama ’22

Ole Miss ’22

William Yanish III is a life long football fan. He’s from the little town of Crawford, Colorado. Along the way, he’s lived in Dutch Harbor, Alaska and Brookings, Oregon. Quarterback Joe Montana was his idol growing up. A little bit of CTE from life’s adventures killed his dreams as a football player. Now, he is an aspiring writer and Draft Analyst at FirstRoundMock.com. He’s a fanatic with a dream, which is coming true.