Ja'Tavion Sanders says yards after catch has been his biggest emphasis of growth

Ja’Tavion Sanders posted a high-quality first season as a contributor last year for Texas. Still, there was one area that he knew he had to grow in this offseason before the next campaign.

Sanders addressed what he focused his offseason on during a media availability last week. For him, he put a major emphasis on improving his numbers after the catch. Considering what some of the best tight ends in the world do after they get the football, he wants to find a way to be a similar kind of playmaker next season for the Longhorns.

“I’d say my YAC, my yards after catch. I definitely left a lot of plays out on the field last year, for sure. So that was one of my big emphasis’ going into this offseason,” Sanders said. “You look at guys like Travis Kelce, George Kittle? They get all their yards off of YAC, not the initial catch. So that was my big emphasis.”

Sanders caught 54 passes as a sophomore in Austin in 2022. Those receptions led to 613 yards, good for 11.4 yards per catch, as well as five touchdowns. Those statistics were good for second at Texas last season in catches, third in receiving yards, and second in scores.

However, Sanders sees a way for him to accumulate even better numbers and make an improved impact if he can capitalize on more of his catches and add more yards to each opportunity where he has the football. If he can do that, he can be an even better weapon for the Texas passing game as a junior in 2023.

Sanders reveals how Texas’ offense has grown this offseason

The Texas Longhorns will enter 2023 with high expectations on the offensive side of the ball. Their only losses are to running back, where they lost Bijan Robinson and Roschon Johnson to the NFL Draft, but they reload at every other position. Amid spring practice, tight end Ja’Tavion Sanders was asked where Texas’ offense has improved the most this season, and his answer should excite Longhorn fans.

“I’d definitely say in out quarterbacks for sure,” Sanders said. “I think getting Arch (Manning) definitely made Quinn (Ewers) step up his game for sure. Maalik (Murphy) coming along too, he’s getting over that injury.”

A crowded quarterback room may seem like a problem to some on the outside looking in. But, according to Sanders, it has brought out the best in their likely starter in Ewers.

“You can just tell Quinn is in a different mode this year. The way he’s carrying himself, the way he comes to the facility. He’s started to be more of a leader. I’m loving the way he’s stepping up for sure,” Sanders said.

Ewers’ growth as a leader is surely a good sign, and so are the weapons he’ll have at his disposal. Sanders was a First-Team All-Conference tight end last season, and other all-conference weapons like Xavier Worthy and Jordan Whittington along with the addition of Georgia transfer AD Mitchell join him this upcoming season. That will create a seemingly surefire recipe for success, regardless of who is under center for Texas year.