David Sanders Jr., top O-line recruit in 2025 class, picks Tennessee over Huskers

The top-rated offensive lineman in next year’s class is not joining the Big Red.

David Sanders Jr. had Nebraska among his four finalists, alongside Ohio State, Georgia and Tennessee, but Sanders ultimately committed to the Volunteers on Saturday.

While it’s obviously disappointing that the 6-foot-6, 290-pound tackle did choose the Huskers, it’s still encouraging to see Nebraska among the finalists for a top recruit . 247Sports rates Sanders as not only the best offensive lineman in the country but also a top-five overall recruit in the 2025 class and the best non-quarterback.

"They were a little late to the party in my opinion," Sanders said of the Huskers before announcing his commitment, but he also praised freshman quarterback Dylan Raiola for getting him on campus and called Matt Rhule a "phenomenal coach."

After landing Raiola last year, Rhule and his staff are clearly aiming to add more top-tier talent to the program. That they were "late to the party" and still made Sanders' shortlist seems to bode well for the Huskers' recruiting efforts going forward.

Even without Sanders’ commitment, Nebraska’s 2025 class currently is rated 29th in the country by 247Sports. That’s 10th in the Big Ten. While none of the Huskers’ 18 commits are rated as five-star recruits — only three programs in the Big Ten have a five-star commit — Nebraska’s six four-star commits is tied for seventh-most in the conference.

Related: Huskers flip 4-star wide receiver commit Isaiah Mozee from Oregon