Ja’Tavion Sanders Solid NFL Tight End Prospect

Texas Longhorns’ Ja’Tavion Sanders is a complete tight-end who will bring value to an NFL team both as a receiver and as a blocker.

While I am not nearly as high on Sanders as some NFL Draft platforms, I do like what he put on film in six games from 2022.

We just barely flipped our calendars to September and already Walter Football, Pro Football Focus, The Athletic, NBC Sports, Pro Football Network, CBS, Fox Sports, The Score, Sporting News, USA Today, Draft Kings, and Bleacher Report have put a first-round grade on Sanders (nflmockdraftdatabase.com).

Sanders is a nice-looking prospect, but let’s not get carried away. He didn’t put any dominant dynamic rare traits on his game film that would warrant a first-round valuation.

He’s not a game-breaker.

Run blocking

Sanders consistently gets after it as a run blocker. He’s extremely competitive and physical in this department. A combination of a positional hold-the-point blocker who has a knack for finishing blocks whenever possible.

Game after game, Sanders did whatever he could to get the job done.

Undoubtedly, he will help a team in the run game because of his size, strength, and he shows he has the right attitude.

Receiving

Granted Sanders has above-average straight-line speed, which allows him to stretch defenses into the intermediate route level, but he looks somewhat average changing direction at route breakpoints and he did not show a second gear necessary for gaining separation from defenders.

What he does have is a knack for getting open and he’s a good route runner and he uses that skill set to get open just enough to create throwing windows for his quarterback.

Sanders looks polished getting into his routes and knows what he’s doing.

He uses his decent, not great, but decent hands to haul in a lot of the passes targeted in his direction.

Another cool thing he adds to game planning is because he is so good as a blocker, it affords him the opportunity to sell a block before releasing into a route and getting open.

Moves the meter

It really stood out how selfless of a prospect Sanders is consistently through these games. He is willing to block for any of his teammates and he competitively hangs in there to pass block or sacrifice himself to make a run block.

While this is not the sexiest of picks, Sanders makes for a wise addition to an NFL roster. He’s one of these productive selfless tight ends who will stick around for years and contribute.

He factors in as a strong No.2 tight-end on an NFL roster.

#0 Ja’Tavion Sanders 6-foot-4, 243 pounds

Daniel Kelly’s Summer 2023 Grade: Fourth-Round (I would select him)

Projected by 47.9% of the NFL Draft Community to be a first-round pick as of September 6, 2023 (nflmockdraftdatabase.com)

Game film reviewed (2022): Oklahoma State, Kansas State, Texas Tech, Alabama, TCU, and Iowa State (click to view games watched to form this evaluation)

2022 receiving stats: 54 receptions (77 targets 70% catch rate) for 614 yards (11.4 avg.), 5 TD, 37-long

2024 NFL Draft Scouting Report

Athletic and strong tight-end prospect who contributes in the pass and run game. Has a physical disposition. In the passing game releases and gets going quickly into straight-line routes with the ability to get into the intermediate route level. Moves fluidly. Knack for finding soft spots in coverages and does a good job using his frame to create leverage and to box out defenders. Nice-sized target. Average on contested catches and an average catch radius. Does a lot of receiving work at the short route level. Can help clear out areas for other receivers. As a run blocker uses his hands well and gives a strong effort to complete the job. Always looking for extra work and plays to the whistle. Excels turning out defenders and lead blocking up the middle. Occasional pancake block. Blocks and ran some defensive backs out to the sideline. Run blocking is important to him.

What to watch for during the 2023 college football season

1. Does he put together back-to-back seasons of similar receiving production?

2. How does he look on contested passes?

3. How does his catch-radius look?

4. Big plays?

Daniel Kelly is a former NFL Scout with the New York Jets. He was hired on the regime which featured Bill Parcells, Bill Belichick, Scott Pioli, Mike Tannenbaum, and Dick Haley. He is currently the Editor-in-Chief for First Round Mock, contributes at Yardbarker, and has written for Sports Illustrated Lions, Jets, and 49ers, as well as a featured guest on ESPN Radio and Fox Sports Radio. For more information about him visit his website at whateverittakesbook.com. He can be followed on Twitter @firstroundmock.