Ashton Sanders making a strong impression at OU
Summer can sometimes see the separation of where freshmen stand. OU fans are looking for difference makers at the defensive tackle position.
Even though Jonah Laulu hasn’t been in the room too long, he can recognize when someone can make an imprint.
It didn’t take long for Laulu to say freshman Ashton Sanders is one for Oklahoma fans to be on the watch for in 2023.
“He’s a strong defensive lineman. He’s strong in the upper body and lower body, for sure,” said Laulu at Big 12 media days. “And once he works out and burns some of that little baby fat from being young, he’s gonna be a monster. He’s smart with the playbook. He was picking things up very, very well and very quickly.”
Sanders got a quick start to his freshman workouts. Not only was he a mid-year enrollee, but he was one of the four players to practice with the team during bowl preparations.
He might not have been the most sought-after recruit at his position, but he’s quickly finding a home in Norman.
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“And I mean, I got a lot of respect for him, and I hope I hold him to a higher standard for sure,” Laulu said. “And I mean, even when he first came in, in the spring, when we were working out, he was very vocal. Trying to get guys together during mat drills because you know mat drills is a different type of monster, for sure. I’m expecting big things from him.”
It’s that type of attitude and type of dedication that drew OU to Sanders in the first place. The coaching staff remembers who Sanders used to be compared to who he has made himself now. It’s a night and day difference.
“At one point, I think he was 350 pounds,” defensive coordinator Ted Roof said. “He decided that wasn’t a good weight for him and he needed to do something about it because he wasn’t playing like he wanted to. And he did. You talk about some respect for a guy who can make a decision like that. It’s tough. That says a whole lot about his commitment to me.
“He’s so versatile. You look at what happened with his play on tape, he’s really, really explosive as far as getting off the ball. He can play a lot of different techniques for us. The main thing we want to do is attack and get vertical off the ball from the defensive line. He can do that. He’s really, really twitchy and explosive.”
Sounds like Sanders will work himself into the competitive depth at the tackle spot for OU.
