Drew Sanders

Verified Timeline

Lore & Background

Sanders grew up in Oregon before relocating to Texas with his father, Mitch Sanders, who coached and served as Athletic Director across multiple cities. He began at Lake Dallas High School, where he played both linebacker and quarterback as a freshman, passing for 392 yards and rushing for 438 yards. After transferring to Colleyville Heritage High School and then Billy Ryan High School, he flipped his college commitment from Oklahoma to Alabama during his junior year. As a senior, he was a 5-star recruit ranked #22 by 247Sports. At Alabama, he played mostly on special teams as a freshman with nine tackles before becoming a starter the following season with 24 tackles and one sack. Following that season, he entered the transfer portal and moved to Arkansas.

In Their Own Story

At Arkansas in 2022, Sanders started all twelve games at middle linebacker, leading the team with 103 tackles and 9.5 sacks. His dominance earned him a spot on the 2022 College Football All-America Team and a finalist position for the Butkus Award. Despite this success, he elected to forgo his senior season and the 2022 Liberty Bowl to enter the 2023 NFL draft. Drafted 67th overall in the third round by Denver, he played all 17 games in 2023, starting four and recording 24 tackles with one fumble recovery. In April 2024, a torn Achilles tendon required surgery, leading to his placement on the PUP list until November 26, 2024. His return moment came in Week 16 against the Los Angeles Chargers; on his sole defensive snap and first of the season, he sacked Justin Herbert for his first career sack.

Reader's Guide

Fans tracking Sanders' development should note his injury timeline: a foot tendon injury occurred during training camp on July 26, 2025, leading to placement on short-term injured reserve on August 26. Unlike previous years, he was not activated for the remainder of that season. On April 20, 2026, reports confirmed Sanders would switch positions from inside to outside linebacker. For accurate tracking of his role and stats, rely on official Broncos transaction logs rather than speculation. His career is marked by resilience, transitioning from a two-time college transfer to an NFL starter who recorded his first sack immediately upon returning from major injury.

Did You Know?

• Sanders flipped his college commitment from Oklahoma to Alabama during his junior year of high school.
• He was a 5-star recruit ranked #22 in the country by 247Sports before his senior season.
• In 2023, Sanders played all 17 games for the Broncos but only started 4.
• His first career sack came on his very first defensive snap back from a torn Achilles tendon injury.
• As a high school freshman in Texas, he rushed for 438 yards and scored eight touchdowns.