HEIGHT: 6'4"

WEIGHT: 245

HAND: 10⅛"

ARM: 32⅞"

WINGSPAN: 78¼"

40-YARD DASH: 4.69

3-CONE:

SHUTTLE: 4.32

VERTICAL:

BROAD:

POSITIVES

— Great acceleration. Explodes out of his stance and threatens DBs immediately.

— Good speed in the open field. Can separate on crossers of all depths and break away with the ball at times.

— Above-average play strength as a receiver. Uses his body well to fight through contact, both before and at the catch point.

— Excellent ball skills and concentration. Displays great, consistent catch technique; has the strength and discipline to hang on in traffic.

— Useful pass protector.

NEGATIVES

— Below-average size for the position. May never be a traditional Y in the NFL.

— Poor strength and technique as a run-blocker.

— Change of direction can be clunky on sharper route breaks, such as stick routes and digs.

2023 STATISTICS

— 14 G, 45 REC, 682 YDS (15.2 AVG), 2 TD

NOTES

— Born Mar. 27, 2003

— 5-star recruit in 2021 class, per 247Sports

— 27 career starts

— 2022 and 2023 first-team All-Big 12

OVERALL

Ja'Tavion Sanders is an undersized tight end with the speed and ball skills to develop into a specialized weapon.

Sanders' profile starts with his size. At 6'4" and 243 pounds, he will be one of the lightest tight ends in the NFL.

Sanders struggles in the run game, especially when he's on the line of scrimmage. While he often takes good angles and attacks the right landmarks, Sanders shows poor strength and command upon contact. He also tends to lean and whiff at his targets.

Size and strength alone limits Sanders' likelihood of becoming a functional Y tight end or big-time red-zone threat. With that being said, he is a fantastic receiver.

Sanders primarily wins with speed. He rips off the line of scrimmage with great acceleration and has a fairly threatening top speed. That same speed and explosiveness shows up when Sanders has the ball. Sanders isn't quite at the Evan Engram/Jared Cook level for tight end speed, but he's in that next tier.

As a route-runner, Sanders offers more good than bad. He can be clunky getting in and out of sharp routes, such as stick routes and digs, but any route with a little room for flexibility works for Sanders. Most of his best work is on crossing routes at any depth.

Sanders also brings fantastic ball skills. He's not big or long, so he isn't necessarily a ball-winner in the air, but he has excellent strength and concentration in traffic. Sanders shows repeatable ability to pluck the ball from the air and secure it despite a sea of bodies around him.

Sanders projects as a high-end role player or niche starter in the NFL. His lack of size, strength and blocking ability make it difficult to envision him earning a full-time starting role for now. However, there will be a role for someone with Sanders' speed and ball skills. He would be best in a role similar to Evan Engram or Isaiah Likely.

GRADE: 7.1 (High-Level Backup/Potential Starter — 3rd Round)

OVERALL RANK: 78

POSITION RANK: TE3

PRO COMPARISON: Isaiah Likely

Written by B/R NFL Scout Derrik Klassen

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