Texas Football: Top 5 early 2024 NFL Draft Longhorns prospects
2. JT Sanders, TE
This is where we start talking about the legitimate first-round prospects for the Longhorns in the 2024 draft class. We start off this part of the conversation with the former elite five-star recruit and rising junior tight end JT Sanders.
The All-Big 12 First-Team tight end Sanders is coming off a breakout 2022 season where he registered 54 catches for 613 yards (11.4 yards per catch), and five touchdown catches. Sanders burst onto the scene last season as one of the most physically-imposing tight ends in the Power Five.
Sark and the Longhorns’ offense were able to use Sanders as a matchup nightmare that could be lined up in-line or motioned out as a wide receiver. The 6-foot-4 and 255-pound Sanders has more than enough size, speed, and vertical ability to beat opposing defensive backs one-on-one on the boundary.
Sanders also has the route-running ability and speed to beat opposing defenders in the secondary up the seams for intermediate and long gains.
NFL scouts will love Sanders for his ability to pick up yards after the catch, strong hands, and how powerful of an athlete he is. He led Big 12 tight ends last season in yards after the catch (287), first downs (32), and contested catches (eight).
It’s also worth noting that Sanders brings a ton of route versatility to the table while still excelling as a blocker when needed. Sanders took more than 50 offensive snaps on passing plays last season in-line, out wide, and out of the slot, which proves his versatility as a receiver.
Proving his blocking ability, Sanders ranked among the five highest-graded tight ends in the Big 12 last season in pass blocking (on more than 70 snaps).
The insane list of strengths that Sanders brings to the table as an NFL prospect makes him a surefire top two-round pick in the draft if he can build on his breakout sophomore campaign this fall.