Bills draft DT T.J. Sanders: How he fits, pick grade and scouting intel

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Bills general manager Brandon Beane has been an aggressive draft day trader since he walked through the doors in 2017, and it was only a matter of time before he struck a deal in the 2025 NFL Draft. That happened just nine picks into the second round, as the Bills moved up 15 spots to select South Carolina defensive tackle T.J. Sanders.

Sanders, 21, spent his entire college career with the Gamecocks, serving as a starter over their last two seasons. In those two years, Sanders wound up with 16.5 tackles for loss and 8.5 sacks. Sanders elected to skip his final college season to declare for the draft and accepted an invitation to this year’s Senior Bowl.

In the move up to secure Sanders, the Bills sent Nos. 56, 62 (second-round picks) and 109 (fourth-round) to the Bears for Nos. 41, 72 (third-round) and 240 (seventh-round). Even with the trade, the Bills maintain ten total selections in this year’s draft, seven of which are scheduled for Day Three.

‘The Beast’ breakdown

Sanders ranked No. 70 in Dane Brugler’s top 300 big board. Here’s what Brugler had to say about him in his annual NFL Draft guide:

A two-year starter at South Carolina, Sanders was a versatile defensive tackle in defensive coordinator Clayton White’s four-man front, aligning up and down the line of scrimmage. A late bloomer (Sanders didn’t focus on football until his junior year in high school), his impact steadily improved each of his four seasons as part of a deep, talented Gamecocks defensive line (averaged just 36 defensive snaps in 2024).

With his initial burst, Sanders can maneuver through gaps with abrupt hands/feet or change the line of scrimmage by quickly getting into a blocker’s chest. He is surprisingly stout at the point of attack and flashes power and hand use to stack and shed against the run. Overall, Sanders is a long, twitchy big man and has the tools to make consistent plays in the backfield with continued technical and awareness improvements. His promising skill set will fit both even and odd fronts.

So many things that standout…there’s no doubt you will for the @BuffaloBills

You were made for Sundays, @Tj_Sanders24 🤙 pic.twitter.com/cxdo1kg5UR

— Gamecock Football (@GamecockFB) April 25, 2025

How he fits

The Bills had a clear need at defensive tackle heading into the draft, and sensing a drop-off coming at defensive tackle after a couple of names were taken, the Bills instead vaulted up the board for Sanders. In terms of what the Bills are looking for out of the one-technique position, Sanders is perfectly suited. Sanders, with his strength at the point of attack, his run-defending abilities, his arm length and how he could grow into the one-technique role while maintaining three-down ability as a penetrating pass rusher, is an ideal solution. He also has enough versatility to play three-technique. Even if slightly undersized for the role, the 6-foot-3, 305-pound Sanders has an arm length of 33.25 inches and shows an all-around skill set to eventually become the starter in Buffalo.

Depth-chart impact

Sanders will likely begin as a rotational defensive tackle within their scheme and the primary backup to 33-year-old starter DaQuan Jones. However, Sanders’ versatility will help him get on the field a lot more often than if he were just a two-down, one-technique-only type. Jones was still an effective starter last year, though there was a bit of a drop-off from his playing level in the 2023 season. There is a definite opportunity for Sanders to be the starter by the end of 2025, and the long-term starter in 2026 and beyond.

They also could have picked …

The only other real option who would have fit them well would have been Boston College edge rusher Donovan Ezeiruaku. He provides speed off the edge, something the defensive end room lacks overall. However, the depth of the class at edge rusher will likely offer some high-ceiling opportunities for speed rushers at No. 72 for the Bills, whereas the type of defensive tackle they were seeking wouldn’t have been as readily available at that point in the draft.

Fast evaluation

This is a home run pairing for the Bills. They have someone who maintains three-down ability in a smaller package but has the length and run-defending skills they covet in a long-term starter at the position. The Bills needed a long-term replacement for Jones, who is a free agent after 2025, and they found it in Sanders.

(Photo: Jeff Blake / Imagn Images)

This news was originally published on this post .

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