Top high school football player in NC — maybe in the US — faces tough college decision

Providence Day high school football player David Sanders stepped off an elevator with a brand new pair of red and white Air Jordan cleats slung around his neck. That big smile he’s long been known for his is also coming with him.

And Sanders, 18, has lots of reasons to be happy.

He may be the best high school football player in America: 6-foot-6, nearly 300 pounds, nimble and sought after by nearly every big-time college football program you can think of.

Sanders, who started to play football when he was 7, goes to camps and combines and puts up the type of statistical measurements coaches might expect to see from an NFL lineman, not someone about to start his senior year in high school. On the field, Sanders plays left tackle and his coach, Chad Grier, said Sanders has allowed two sacks in three seasons.

That is not a misprint.

Last November, Sanders blocked an extra point and helped force a safety late in the game against a nationally-ranked opponent that helped his team win a third straight state title.

At one time or another, most of the major national recruiting services have ranked Sanders No. 1 among all high school players in his class. He’s everybody’s 5-star recruit.

“It’s bittersweet moment knowing I’m a senior,” Sanders said. “The first time I applied to Providence Day (in seventh grade), I didn’t get it in. Just being here, sometimes you can take it for granted, going to a great private school, great education, great athletics. We always had great seniors here, and now it’s like you’re the guy, all eyes on you. But it’s not even pressure. I don’t have to deal with recruiting anymore. It was a stress-free summer. I had my (college official visits). No craziness. I’m just coming out here and enjoying it day by day.”

This week, Sanders launched his own clothing line with a new signature logo. He’s got an NIL deal with Qwest Nutrition. On Friday, he’ll start his senior season when Providence Day hosts a promising Trinity Christian team. Then on Saturday, at 1 p.m. in his school’s gym, Sanders will make his college announcement.

His final choices are Georgia, Nebraska, Ohio State and Tennessee.

“I think God created him special,” coach Grier said. “He gave (Sanders) some stuff that He didn’t give everybody, and his parents and family took what God gave him and maximized it. They raised him right. He’s an exceptional young man, and a great leader. What’s that saying, ‘Hard work beats talent when talent doesn’t work hard?’ Well, when you have both, that’s when you have something special, and David has both.”

Sanders and his parents — David Sr., who played college basketball at Johnson C. Smith, and Samantha Sanders — sat down with The Observer’s Langston Wertz Jr. for an extended interview.

Responses are edited for brevity and clarity.

Langston Wertz Jr.: David, what’s it like being as highly recruited as you are. Everybody is always looking at you. Is there pressure with that?

David Sanders: There’s definitely a lot of pressure, but I would say it’s a blessing to be in this position. There are thousands of kids who play high school football throughout the United States. To be considered a top 10 player, regardless of class, that’s a pretty big blessing to be in that spotlight, to get the opportunity.

LW: When you go to camps, or in games, guys are trying to make a name off of you, right?

DS: There’s a lot of junk talking (laughs). I used to go to camps and everybody is trying to line up on your side. You’ve got the biggest target on your back because if somebody beats you, that’s all they’ve got to do is post that clip and they have a different spotlight on their name. So you’ve got to just trust your development. You put in the hard work just like everybody else. When it’s time to compete, you’ve got to show them why you’re the best.

LW: How did life change when you got your first national No. 1 ranking a few years back?

DS: It was a lot different. The way people would approach me was a lot different. Like everybody was like, ‘Oh man, that’s the No. 1 player in the nation. That’s the No. 1 tackle in the nation,” whatever you want to say. We would be at Wal-Mart, getting groceries with my mom on a normal Saturday and somebody would pull me over. “Are you that kid that’s the No. 1 player in the nation”? I’d say, “Yeah, that’s me.” But as far as the work and workouts, it was no different. Your teammates don’t look at you any other way. They knew me way before rankings came out, and you’ve got to keep that same motor as if you weren’t ranked at all. I think that’s the biggest thing.

LW: You came to Providence Day as a basketball player. How did you become a football player?

DS: I had always played football growing up but basketball was my main sport and I wanted to play basketball (at Providence Day). But playing offensive tackle was just like guarding somebody on defense on the court. The transition was really, really smooth. At first I played tight end and defense end, but they kind of finessed me into playing on the offensive line. But I kind of fell in love with the position and it grew from there.

LW: You were named Gatorade NC player of the year as a junior and you played the entire year, at what, 80 percent? Tell us why.

DS: I played all year with a torn labrum. I injured it my sophomore year and we didn’t know. I think it was a partial tear. We went through all off-season and it was just bugging me. My mom kept telling me, “Let’s get an MRI.” But I played all season with that and it was struggle. When you start the game, it’s perfectly fine. You feel 100%, but as soon as that one tweak happens, you arm goes numb. My mom was a nervous wreck all season with me playing. She didn’t want it to be so bad they maybe couldn’t fix it. Thankfully I made through the whole season and we were able to get the state championship. All the pain was worth it (Sanders had successful surgery Nov. 29 and is 100% now).

LW: What was it about Georgia, Nebraska, Ohio State and Tennessee that made those your final four schools?

DS: Nebraska was the big shocker for everybody. They blew it out of the water on my official visit. The facilities were amazing, and I really clicked with coach (Matt) Rhule (a former Carolina Panthers head coach). And obviously Georgia, Ohio State and Tennessee have been on me heavy every since I started getting recruited. Each one of those schools are amazing.

LW: Did watching coach Rhule with the Panthers have anything do with your affinity for the Cornhuskers?

DS: It was actually kind of cool to meet him. I actually never went to a Panthers’ game when he was the coach, well maybe one. But he drafted (Panthers’ offensive lineman) Ickey (Ekwonu, a former Providence Day star). So I feel like having a coach like that, he knows what he’s looking for in an NFL offensive tackle.

LW: What is the thing that’s going to make you choose one of the final four over the other three?

DS: I’m a big family-oriented person. I want to go somewhere where I can feel that family atmosphere, where on my worst day they will still treat me like I was their son. I feel like I’m at home, so it’s not like, “let me go back home.” I can just stay there and feel like I’m a peace with myself for making my decision. And all four of those schools you can’t go wrong, academically or athletically, so I’m really going to lean on those personal relationships built through this process.”

David Sanders Sr.: “It’s definitely a family decision. We kind of weigh in, heavily, on the academic portion of things. Just trying to make David think for the 30-year-old version of himself. Just reminding him that he will have a family one day and his degree is going to matter one day, when you can’t be a football player anymore.”

LW: David do you still want to be a doctor?

DS: Orthopedic surgeon. I want to be an exercise science major on a pre-med track.

LW: Did NIL factor in the college decision?

Sanders Sr.: That didn’t factor into the decision. It’s a part of the process, due to David being one of the top players in the country. But we didn’t lean into NIL at all for his college decision.

LW: He’s doing NIL now with an agent, right?

Samantha Sanders: We set it up where no talk regarding money was mentioned to David throughout this process. My husband and I handled that part. But it’s having your student stay focused. We’ve had a lot offers.

Sanders Sr.: A lot of things don’t fit what we’re looking for and we’ve turned a lot of those down. I can’t believe we’re in a space where high school athletes can take advantage of it, let alone college athletes. It’s a beautiful thing, but we look for the NIL deal that can help educate David, that he can be a part of the process and learning the business side of things. He’s going into a business landscape next year and we’re looking for things that can help David along the way, to make him a better person.

LW: David, what it will be like going to college next year? Is it like starting over?

DS: Going in a freshman, you’ve got to start from ground zero. My freshman year at Providence Day, nobody knew my name. Going into my sophomore year, that was when it was like, “This is the guy.” It’s a 40-minute drive from us to come to Providence Day every day. It’s not an easy thing I’ve been doing just to be here. All the sacrifices that have been made throughout these 3-4 years I’ve been at Providence Day is going to pay forward for when I’m in college. Keep that same motor flowing and God-willing no injuries, you should be as good as you were in high school.”