The Buffalo Bills selected South Carolina defensive lineman T.J. Sanders in the second round of the 2025 NFL Draft, 40th overall.
Buffalo previously worked a trade with the Bears, sending pick Nos. 56, 62, and 109 to Chicago in exchange for Nos. 41, 72, and 240.
Sanders flashed serious interior pass-rushing potential at South Carolina, racking up 10 total sacks over the last two seasons.
Pre-draft profile
Sanders brings the heat as a pass-rusher. The South Carolina defensive tackle is explosive off the ball and demonstrates quick, heavy hands to swipe away a lineman's punch and slide past him into the backfield. When his initial rush is stalled, he has the counter moves to keep the rep alive. Sanders also shows good balance to fight through contact on the way to the quarterback. The run game is a bit more complicated of a projection. He does flash this ability to get inside his opponent's frame, control blocks, and find the ball. But he can get washed out of a play quickly if he isn't square, and he doesn't currently have the anchor to hold up against the double teams he'd see with full-time work on the interior. Sanders' best fit is likely as an early down five-technique end who kicks inside in passing situations. That kind of role could give him a path to instant impact at the next level.