2023 NFL Draft Scouting Report: Drew Sanders

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Drew Sanders, 6-5/232 Linebacker Arkansas

Drew Sanders Scouting Report
By Charlie Campbell

Strengths:

Very fast

Explosive

Lightning bolt getting upfield

Closes in a blur

Superb get-off and first-step quickness

Ability to bend

Natural pass rusher

Deploys some variety in pass-rushing moves

Athletic

Length

Good in pursuit

Capable of lining up at a variety of spots

Weaknesses:

Needs to get stronger in run defense

Lacks physicality

Needs to improve the strength of his base

Doesn’t play downhill when not rushing the passer

Should get stronger to shed blocks

One-year wonder

Situational player to start?

Summary: After being a backup at Alabama for a few years, Sanders transferred to Arkansas for the 2022 season. Immediately, Sanders broke out as one of the top edge defenders in the SEC and was a terror to opposing offenses. He totaled 9.5 sacks, 103 tackles, three forced fumbles and five passes broken up as a Razorback. Sanders then decided to declare for the 2023 NFL Draft.

Arkansas games in 2022 immediately made apparent how dangerous Sanders was off the edge. He looked capable of sacking the quarterback on any play. Sanders is very explosive off the ball, possessing a lightning-fast first-step and tremendous speed around the corner. He also has the athleticism to dip and weave around blockers while maintaining the speed to close. Aided by his good vision and instincts, Sanders is a natural pass rusher who is a dynamic quarterback hunter.



Sanders flashes pass-coverage ability, looking smooth in space. He can drop into zone coverage and reads the offense well. With his quickness and athleticism, Sanders covers a lot of ground in a hurry. He will need additional development for pass coverage as a pro, but that is understandable considering he was really only a 1-year starter.

In run defense, Sanders is good in pursuit and will make tackles downfield. However, strength is the aspect he needs to add for the NFL. Sanders must get tougher at defending downhill runs coming straight at him, grow stronger for shedding blocks in the pass rush, and develop a stronger lower body to maintain his feet. Team sources feel Sanders is not physical and slid into a lot of his run tackles downfield. They wanted to see him be more physical and make more of his run tackles playing downhill.

Sanders could fit in a 3-4 or a 4-3 defense at the next level. Sources from 4-3 teams say they would have Sanders play Sam – strongside – linebacker on run downs and rush off the edge in passing situations. In that role, Sanders would be like Anthony Barr with the Vikings. Sanders would be a good fit to play 3-4 outside linebacker.

In the 2023 NFL Draft, Sanders has the potential to get late first-round consideration. He shouldn’t go lower than Round 2.



Player Comparison: Anthony Barr. In some ways, Sanders compares well to Barr. Both were fast off the edge with the ability to hunt the quarterback. They also were similarly sizes. Barr was stronger and more physical as a run defender, but both are tweener linebacker/defensive ends.

2023 NFL Draft Player Previews - Choose Player 2023 NFL Draft Player Previews - Home Devon Achane, RB, Texas A&M Adetomiwa Adebawore, DE, Northwestern Jordan Addison, WR, USC Will Anderson, DE, Alabama Felix Anudike-Uzomah, DE, Kansas State Steve Avila, G, TCU Deonte Banks, CB, Maryland Micah Baskerville, LB, LSU Keeanu Benton, DT, Wisconsin Matthew Bergeron, OT, Syracuse Mekhi Blackmon, CB, USC Kayshon Boutte, WR, LSU Brian Branch, S, Alabama Julius Brents, CB, Kansas State Bryan Bresee, DT, Clemson Chase Brown, RB, Illinois Sydney Brown, S, Illinois Jack Campbell, LB, Iowa Jalen Carter, DT, Georgia Zach Charbonnet, RB, UCLA Malik Cunningham, QB, Louisvile Gervon Dexter, DT, Florida Josh Downs, WR, North Carolina Max Duggan, QB, TCU Jaelyn Duncan, OT, Maryland Zach Evans, RB, Ole Miss Zay Flowers, WR, Boston College Emmanuel Forbes, CB, Notre Dame Isaiah Foskey, DE, Notre Dame Jahmyr Gibbs, RB, Alabama Christian Gonzalez, CB, Oregon Derick Hall, OLB, Auburn Jaren Hall, QB, BYU Anton Harrison, OT, Oklahoma Daiyan Henley, LB, Washington State Hendon Hooker, QB, Tennessee Jalin Hyatt, WR, Tennessee Siaki Ika, DT, Baylor Antonio Johnson, S, Texas A&M Paris Johnson, OT, Ohio State Quentin Johnston, WR, TCU Broderick Jones, G, Georgia Dawand Jones, OT, Ohio State Calijah Kancey, DT, Pittsburgh Dalton Kincaid, TE, Utah Sam LaPorta, TE, Iowa Will Levis, QB, Kentucky Quan Martin, CB, Illinois Cody Mauch, G, North Dakota State Michael Mayer, TE, Notre Dame Will McDonald, DE, Iowa State Kenny McIntosh, RB, Georgia Tanner McKee, QB, Stanford Kendre Miller, RB, TCU Jonathan Mingo, WR, Ole Miss Cam Mitchell, CB, Northwestern Malachi Moore, S, Alabama Mike Morris, DE, Michigan Wanya Morris, OT, Oklahoma Myles Murphy, DE, Clemson Luke Musgrave, TE, Oregon State Zion Nelson, OT, Miami B.J. Ojulari, OLB, LSU Demarvion Overshown, LB, Texas Owen Pappoe, LB, Auburn Jarrett Patterson, C, Notre Dame Clark Phillips, CB, Utah Joey Porter Jr., CB, Penn State Anthony Richardson, QB, Florida Kelee Ringo, CB, Georgia Bijan Robinson, RB, Texas Chris Rodriguez, RB, Kentucky Drew Sanders, LB, Arkansas Noah Sewell, LB, Oregon Trenton Simpson, LB, Clemson Peter Skoronski, OT, Northwestern Cam Smith, CB, South Carolina Mazi Smith, DT, Michigan Nolan Smith, DE, Georgia Jaxon Smith-Njigba, WR, Ohio State John Michael Schmitz, C, Minnesota Tyler Steen, OT, Alabama Tyrique Stevenson, CB, Miami C.J. Stroud, QB, Ohio State Cedric Tillman, WR, Tennessee Joe Tippman, C, Wisconsin O'Cyrus Torrence, G, Florida Henry To'oTo'o, LB, Alabama Tuli Tuipulotu, DE, USC D.J. Turner, CB, Michigan Lukas Van Ness, DE, Iowa Deuce Vaughn, RB, Kansas State Tyree Wilson, DE, Texas Tech Darnell Washington, TE, Georgia Keion White, DE, Georgia Tech Devon Witherspoon, CB, Illinois Darnell Wright, OT, Tennessee Bryce Young, QB, Alabama

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