Tennessee making a major impression on nation's No. 1 OT David Sanders

Josh Heupel and Tennessee already have one cornerstone of their 2025 football recruiting class with elite quarterback commit George MacIntyre. And now their attention is turned toward another: Charlotte (N.C.) Providence Day offensive tackle David Sanders, the No. 2 overall recruit in the junior class.

The Vols have made him their top priority outside of MacIntyre this cycle, with offensive line coach Glen Elarbee and Heupel both playing major factors in his recruitment.

Sanders holds offers from all over the country, and dozens of coaches were in during the January contact period. That list included Tennessee, Georgia, Ohio State, Florida, Texas, Oregon and more.

It was a key few weeks in Sanders’ recruitment as he takes the next step toward cutting his list of schools down and ultimately committing. With those visits out of the way, Sanders is now focused on coming up with his list of top schools during the February dead period.

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“This month in particular is going to be very serious for me and my family to cut the list down,” he told Volquest’s Austin Price. “Trying to deal with everybody just isn’t the healthiest way to go. And with me getting closer to my decision, I want to have a very strong decision and take advantage of the opportunity to take visits to these schools, like spring practices, official visits and games. And I don’t want to be somewhere every single weekend, so that’s big for me.”

Tennessee is a major contender with Sanders

Along with the Vols — who have made a huge impression on Sanders and his family — Georgia and Clemson are seen as the biggest threats in his recruitment.

“That trio is setting the pace at this stage, but a list of schools remains in contention,” On3 Director of Recruiting Chad Simmons wrote last week.

Sanders already has an official visit to Clemson planned for June, and both the Bulldogs and Vols are expected to get them as well. Tennessee was supposed to host Sanders last month for an unofficial visit, but weather prevented him from making it. Instead, he plans to return to Knoxville in March during spring practice.

“With Tennessee, they’re one of my top schools, one of my favorite schools in the country,” he told Volquest. “Each visit I take is very crucial to be feel better connected with the coaches and players that are already in the locker room. I’m hoping to be there for spring practice — maybe the spring game — and then an official visit this summer.”

Connections to Vols players, commits and coaches is crucial

Tennessee’s staff has put the full-court press on Sanders, with graduate offensive line assistants and coaches up and down the football staff staying in contact with him. MacIntyre, the leader of Tennessee’s 2025 class, has also been in his ear as the two have developed a close friendship during the recruiting process.

“A lot of people think we (me and George) started talking when he committed to Tennessee. But that’s been one of my good friends for a little over six months,” he said. “We play Fortnite and Madden, and I think I have a good relationship with him. Take Tennessee out of it, just us and our friendship is really good as a whole. We text occasionally, not even anything having to do with football, just checking up on each other. And I was very happy when he committed to Tennessee because I think he fits perfect in their offense. And he’s going to make them very, very good.”

Heupel and Elarbee have also connected with him on a personal level, and he loves their demeanor and coaching style, as well as the way they’ve recruited him.

“They do an amazing job recruiting me,” he said. “They reach out to me but it’s not overwhelmingly reaching out. … Coach Elarbee and Coach Heupel text me every morning to tell me they hope I have a good day at school. Just little things like that go a long way.”

Decision not expected soon, but a list cut is coming

Sanders doesn’t have a specific number of schools in mind yet for when he cuts down his list. He doesn’t have plans to commit before he takes more visits, including officials in June.

But he does have a list of boxes that a school will need to check if it’s going to land him. And at the top of that list is a family feeling in the football program, something he said Tennessee excels at.

“Definitely a family atmosphere for me,” he said of the biggest factors in his eventual decision. “I come from a two-parent home, my grandparents are very involved in my life and I have three younger sisters. So just feeling that connection with the coaches and the players, that’s going to be a big deal for me to feel like I’m comfortable in that locker room each and every day.”