South Carolina Football: 5 players whose stock is rising for the Gamecocks
By Kevin Miller
South Carolina Football players whose stock is up:
Defensive Lineman TJ Sanders
TJ Sanders didn’t play football until later in his high school career (he was a basketball player), but Gamecock fans are glad he decided to give the gridiron a shot. After flashing in practice for two seasons, the redshirt sophomore had a breakout game in week 3.
Against the Georgia Bulldogs, Sanders earned Co-SEC Defensive Lineman of the Week honors after racking up 9 tackles, 2 tackles for loss, a sack, and a pass deflection while getting snaps at both defensive tackle and defensive end.
For South Carolina football fans who pay close attention to the program throughout the year, Sanders’ ascension comes as no surprise. #90 was selected as the Rex Enright Defensive Player of the Spring after a really strong spring practice, so it was expected that the big man would make an impact this season.
Tonka Hemingway and Alex “Boogie” Huntley are more proven players inside at defensive tackle (Sanders’ more natural position), but there has been some inconsistency across the defensive front in 2023, so Gamecock fans can expect Sanders to continue getting a lot of snaps as long as he keeps contributing.
With two more years of eligibility and one of the more impressive athletic profiles of all the Gamecock defensive linemen, Sanders still has tremendous room for improvement and a work ethic that should see him reach his sizable potential.