No. 1 OT David Sanders has 'great experience' on Clemson visit

The nation’s top offensive tackle took a visit across state lines this weekend.

Charlotte (N.C.) Providence Day School Five-Star Plus+ offensive tackle David Sanders visited Clemson on Sunday and told 247’s Steve Wiltfong that he has a “great experience” visiting the Tigers.

“The main thing I wanted to get out of the visit was seeing Coach [Matt] Luke in action,” Sanders said. “It was a sight to see. That really impressed me the most. Just the way the guys worked and responded to his coaching style.”

Clemson was first in a long line of spring visits for Sanders. Going forward, he will travel to Georgia (March 16), Alabama (March 23) and Tennessee (April 12), as well as an official visit to South Carolina (April 19).

Sanders is the nation’s No. 2 overall prospect, No. 1 offensive tackle and North Carolina’s top recruit in the 2025 cycle according to the On3 Industry Ranking — a weighted average that utilizes all four major recruiting media companies.

Each school in the running for Sanders has had him on campus multiple times throughout his recruitment. Upon trimming his list to six on March 2, On3 Director of Recruiting Chad Simmons pointed to three programs that look to be at the top of the pack for Sanders heading into the spring.

“I think at this point things are set. David Sanders is set on these six schools heading into a decision that could likely come in the mid-to-late summer. That’s been his plan. He and his family have all been in this together, communicating with the coaches,” Simmons said last weekend.

“I think the three schools that have really positioned themselves best heading into the spring are Clemson, Georgia and Tennessee.”

Sanders discusses top schools

Sanders broke down his interest in each of the six schools at the top of his recruitment with On3’s Hayes Fawcett:

Tennessee: I really love the program’s future! They’re in good hands with Nico and another great Quarterback following behind him in George. I love the coaching staff and everything they bring to the table. 

Georgia: Obviously it’s no secret that I love Georgia. They’ve been one of the schools that have been at the top for me the whole recruiting process. You can compete for national championships and you can be developed into a first round talent. 

Clemson: Clemson has something a lot of other schools don’t. I grew up a die heart Clemson fan. I remember those days as a middle schooler, staying up late to watch them play in the national championship games. It’s just a very unique place and I love everything about them. 

South Carolina: They are what I call the land of opportunity. I personally feel as if you go there and win a championship you will become legendary! This is something that is appealing for me the most. The distance from home also plays a little bit of a role knowing how involved I am with my family. I love everything about their program and where they’re headed. 

Alabama: You can’t neglect the fact that this program is legendary and will always be that. I loved Alabama before the coaching staff and I think the new coaching staff has done an amazing job recruiting me so far. The biggest thing for them is just getting to know me and building that relationship. So I would feel more comfortable making that decision later on. 

Ohio State: They have an amazing coaching staff and program. They’re known for developing great offensive tackles. That is something that is really appealing to me! Obviously it’s no secret that they’re really far from me and I have only visited once. I just feel like the relationship between me and Coach Frye is amazing.