Ja'Tavion Sanders leads a Texas tight end room with a number of unknowns

After a year spent mostly on special teams in 2021, junior tight end Ja’Tavion Sanders broke out in 2022. He caught 54 passes for 613 yards and five scores, with his catch total the most by a tight end in school history. Expectations are high for Sanders in 2023, whether they be of the first-team All-America variety or the first-round sort. But while the ceiling of the position is elevated by his presence, an unknown floor exists for Jeff Banks‘ position group.

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Sanders may not be the exact same household name that Georgia’s Brock Bowers is when it comes to tight ends in the national college football consciousness, but he has the potential to join that conversation based off his 2022 campaign. He was second on the team behind wide receiver Xavier Worthy in catches and touchdowns, and third behind Worthy and Jordan Whittington in receiving yardage.

Defenses are going to be keenly aware of what No. 0 offers, but that’s why he’s worked to improve his game since the final whistle of the Alamo Bowl.

“Everything,” Sanders said Friday of what he’s worked at most. “There’s not one thing that I’m good enough at. I’m trying to better myself in all aspects of my game, and trying to do the same for my teammates. Hope I can just show it on the field and show what my hard work did in the offseason.”

Texas coach Steve Sarkisian calls tight end the second most important position in his offense behind quarterback because of what’s asked of the player in the role. Not only do tight ends need to be able to run routes, catch the ball, and make plays in the passing game, they’re also critical in making opponents defend the C-gap in Sarkisian’s run game.

Run blocking is an area where Sanders can make gains. Last year, according to Pro Football Focus, Sanders’ season-long run-blocking grade was 59.7. His pass-blocking grade was a solid 68.1, with several games earning a grade of 70 or more over the course of the year.

If he’s able to shore up his blocking, then he’ll be a complete weapon for the offense because of his ability as a receiver. Sanders had a season-long grade in the pass game of 76.1, a subjective number that backs up the quality of his objective counting stats.

Those stats may look a little different this year, according to Banks.

“The ones that are going to continue to matter the most are the 50-50 balls and the vertical threat, because that’s what his strength is,” Banks said last week. “This guy can get down the field for his size vertically, and he gains a lot of ground quickly. He’s competitive and physical. You like his odds when the ball is up in the air 50-50. He might have less catches. He might have more yards and more touchdowns. That’s what we’re looking for.”

Sanders is as much of a known quantity a team can have at tight end, but there are unknowns about the scholarship athletes in the room with him considering their lack of production and overall lack of playing time during Sarkisian’s tenure.

Gone from the team is Andrej Karic, who often wore an eligible receiver’s number last year to function as a tight end in 12 personnel sets designed to bolster the Bijan Robinson and Roschon Johnson led run game. Still in Banks’ room are Gunnar Helm and Juan Davis, while Spencer Shannon and Will Randle joined the group over the summer.

Sanders heaped praise on Helm last week, warning not to doubt the ability of the Colorado native and explaining “he can do the same thing I can do.”

“Gunnar, that’s my dog,” Sanders said. “Gunnar took me under his wing when I first got here because he came in the spring. He helped me do what he did. I’m thankful for that. He helped me get to where I’m at today and I will forever praise him for that. He’s a lovely brother, a great teammate, and I’m appreciative of him.”

Banks said Helm, who has five receptions for 44 yards in his 25-game career, worked hard and with a purpose over the offseason.

“To be honest, probably has the biggest chip in our room because he feels like he busts his ass, (and) he plays extremely hard every day in practice,” Banks said. “Him and JT came in together, they learned together, they both know the offense the exact same, and JT has gotten most of the accolades and most of the production. That’s okay. Like I told him, I’m good with that. I want you to be mad. Compete and make him better, and then know where your role is at.”

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With Sanders and Helm is Davis, a junior who has played mostly on special teams across his 15 appearances. Davis was not seen going through drills during the viewing portion of practice open to the media on Friday, and Banks’ words earlier in the week made it sound like the former high school quarterback was struggling with injury.

“Juan, I feel so bad for this guy,” Banks said. “Every time this guy gets rolling, he gets nicked up. Juan is a tightly-wound, low-body fat, high-muscle athlete. Sometimes, there are just things there from a muscle and soft tissue situation that you’ve got to be careful with. My biggest hope is in four weeks from now, Juan’s healthy, fast, and ready to go. That guy’s a weapon in the passing game. He’s become a much more physical blocker.”

Behind that upperclassman trio are Randle and Shannon, who didn’t draw extended mention from Banks but Sanders described as “coming along way faster than I was.”

Despite there being five players in the room, the tippy-top of the depth chart is what makes the Longhorn tight ends a weapon at this juncture. Helm and Davis did enough to be lauded by Banks during his lone media opportunity of the year, but Sanders represents the only real known in the program at the position heading into the 2023 season.