JaTavion Sanders

UPDATES

Week 9: The big TE caught four passes for 37 yards. For the seventh straight game Sanders was kept out of the end zone, but the sure-handed receiver still does not have a drop on the season. -— JH

Week 8: Sanders caught two passes for 29 yards in Texas' 31-24 win over host Houston, with a long of 23 yards. Sanders had a solid day run blocking. — JH

Week 7: DNP — Texas bye week

Week 6: For the second week in a row, Sanders was limited to one catch in the Longhorns' 34-30 loss to Oklahoma. He also scuffled in his blocking assignments, though Texas did rush for 156 yards. — JH

Week 5: Sanders was held to one catch for 10 yards. His production wasn't needed as Texas manhandled Kansas in the second half en route to a 40-14 win over visiting Kansas. Sanders may have had his least effective run-blocking performance of 2023 in the win. — JH.

Week 4: Sanders returned to form in Texas' 38-6 win over Baylor, after having a minimal-impact performance in Week 3. The big TE had five catches for 110 yards (22.6 average), with a long of 49 yards. He did a lot of damage after the catch, with 67 YAC. Sanders also had a solid day in run blocking as the Longhorns' offense rushed for 175 yards. — JH

Week 3: A quiet day for Sanders against Wyoming as Texas remained unbeaten with a 31-10 win. The TE was targeted three times and did not catch a pass after averaging 22 yards per catch coming into the game. Sanders did have perhaps his best all-around game as a blocker. — JH

Week 2: Sanders had a big day in the Longhorns' seismic 34-24 road win over Alabama, catching five passes for a robust 114 yards, as for the second week in a row the Texas TE averaged 22 yards per catch for the game. His biggest play of the night was a 50-yard catch and run on the second play of the fourth quarter, which took the ball inside the 'Bama 10-yard line. Trailing 13-10, Texas scored on the next play to take a lead they would not relinquish. — JH

Week 1: Sanders played 48 snaps in Texas' season opener, a 31-10 win over visiting Rice. The big TE had two catches for 44 yards, all his yardage coming on one completion midway through the third quarter, when he went took a short pass from Quinn Ewers and rumbled the catch for a touchdown. Sanders was targeted six times on the day. As a blocker, Sanders was OK in run blocking but struggled in his pass-protection assignments. — JH

Week 0: DNP

HISTORY — from college profile

2022 (soph): A first-team All-Big 12 selection by both the Big 12 Conference head coaches and the Associated Press … named a semifinalist for the John Mackey Award … played in and started all 13 games …  caught 54 passes for 613 yards and five touchdowns ... the 54 receptions on the season were the most for a tight end in program history and his 613 receiving yards tied for second-most in a season by a tight end in program history ... his 54 career receptions are the eighth-most all-time for a Texas tight end and his 613 career receiving yards are the 10th-most by a tight end in UT history ... caught six passes for a career-high 85 yards and one touchdown at ULM … hauled in three passes for four yards against Alabama … caught five passes for 40 yards at Texas Tech … had five receptions for 78 yards and two touchdowns against West Virginia … made five catches for 71 yards and two touchdowns in the Red River Showdown against Oklahoma … hauled in three receptions for 37 yards versus Iowa State … caught six passes for 76 yards at Oklahoma State … had five receptions for 54 yards at Kansas State … tallied 61 yards on seven receptions against TCU … had a pair of receptions for 65 yards against Baylor ... caught five passes for 36 yards in the Alamo Bowl against Washington.

2021 (fr): Played in all 12 games … appeared primarily on special teams with the field goal unit.

High school: Attended Billy Ryan High in Denton, TX ... An All-America, all-state and two-time all-district honoree who helped Billy Ryan High to the 5A Division 1 state title in 2020 ... selected for the 2021 Under Armour All-America Game ... named a finalist for the 2020 SI All-American team ... chosen as a finalist for the 2020 Mr. Texas Football award ... ranked No. 13 nationally, No. 2 among athletes and No. 2 in the state of Texas by ESPN ... rated No. 13 nationally, No. 1 among athletes and No. 3 in the state of Texas by Rivals ... ranked No. 29 nationally, No. 1 among athletes and No. 3 in the state of Texas by 247Sports ... ranked the top defensive end and No. 3 overall in the state by Dave Campbell’s Texas Football ... chosen for the cover of the 2021 Dave Campbell’s Texas Football Rising magazine ... selected to the Texas MaxPreps All-State first team as an all-purpose player in 2020 ... chosen co-MVP of District 5-5A Division 1 ... chosen to Dave Campbell’s Texas Football Super Team Defense ... tabbed mid-season 5A co-Player of the Year by the Dallas Morning News ... rated No. 2 in the Dallas Morning News Area Top 100 ... a PrepStar Top 150 Dream Team selection ... pulled in 63 receptions for 1,161 yards (18.4 ypr) and 16 touchdowns, while rushing 23 times for 71 yards and three touchdowns ... had four sacks and an interceptions on defense as a senior ... posted five 100-yard receiving games ... caught at least five passes in nine games ... registered seven receptions for 122 yards and two touchdowns against Martin ... tallied five receptions for 107 yards and two touchdowns against The Colony ... secured a season-high three touchdown receptions against Heritage ... accumulated 145 receiving yards on five receptions with two receiving touchdowns and two rushing touchdowns against Independence ... recorded season highs of eight receptions and 216 receiving yards (27.0 ypr) with two touchdowns against College Station ... gathered seven receptions for 115 yards and one touchdown along with a rushing touchdown against Longview ... helped lead team to a perfect 15-0 record, including a 7-0 district mark and title, and the 5A Division 1 state title ... a first-team honoree on Dave Campbell’s Texas Football Super Team in 2020 ... named 5A All-State Defensive Player of the Year and first-team all-state at defensive end by the Texas Sports Writers Association in 2019 ... selected honorable mention 5A All-State by the Associate Press ... chosen first-team All-District 4-5A Division 1 ... posted 39 tackles, 20 tackles for loss, 11 sacks, 24 pressures, two forced fumbles and three pass breakups as a junior ... also played on offense at receiver and caught 47 passes for 763 yards and seven touchdowns ... part of a defense that allowed 11.3 points per game, including three shutouts and nine games of 10 points or fewer ... notched seven tackles, including five tackles for loss and three sacks with one fumble recovery and five pressures against Fossil Ridge ... logged six games with at least five receptions, including season highs of six catches, 97 yards and one touchdown against Poteet ... helped team to a 15-1 overall record, including an undefeated regular season and a 7-0 district mark and title, and an appearance in the 5A Division 1 state championship game in 2019 ... tabbed Defensive Newcomer of the Year in District 4-5A in 2018 ... registered 54 tackles, 23 tackles for loss, 9.5 sacks, six pass breakups, and two interceptions, including one for a touchdown as a sophomore ... also caught 23 passes for 378 yards and five touchdowns ... part of a defense that allowed just 14.9 points per game, including three shutouts and six games of seven points or fewer ... collected at least four tackles in six games, including two with a season-high eight tackles ... recorded eight tackles, five tackles for loss and three sacks against West Mesquite ... gathered eight tackles, three tackles for loss and two sacks against Birdville ... tallied season highs of four catches, 77 yards and two touchdown receptions against Brewer ... caught at least one pass in 12 games ... helped Billy Ryan High to a 14-1 overall record, including an undefeated regular season and a 7-0 district mark and title, and an appearance in the 5A Division 1 state semifinals in 2018 ... played in four varsity games as a freshman in 2017 ... caught five passes for 130 yards ... helped team to a 14-1 overall record, including an undefeated regular season and a 6-0 district mark and title, and an appearance in the 5A Division 1 state semifinals in 2017 ... played for head coach Dave Henigan ... also played basketball in high school.