Tennessee lands commitment of No. 1 OT David Sanders Jr.

Field Level Media|published: 08/17/2024, 1:57pm EDT

The Smokey mascot high-fives a fan during the Vol Walk before Tennessee's football game against Vanderbilt at Neyland Stadium in Knoxville, Tenn., on Saturday, Nov. 25, 2023.

David Sanders Jr., the No. 1 offensive tackle in the 2025 class, announced Saturday afternoon that he will play his college football at Tennessee.

Sanders, also ranked by the 247Sports composite as the No. 2 overall player in the nation, picked the Volunteers over Georgia, Nebraska and Ohio State.

Tennessee had been considered the frontrunner after Sanders, from Providence Day School in Charlotte, N.C., made numerous visits to the campus.

Had he chosen Ohio State, his commitment would have given the Buckeyes four of the top 10-ranked players in the class.

Ohio State currently has the highest-rated class in the country, per 247Sports.

Sanders, who is 6-foot-6 and 290 pounds, has been on the national radar for years. Michigan offered him a scholarship at the end of his eighth-grade season.

"There are so many things to weigh when it comes to making a decision like this, but what it came down to for me, and what was most important above everything else, was that I'd end up somewhere where I truly felt like family," Sanders said, per On3. "I'm making my commitment because the school felt like home."

--Field Level Media