CHARLOTTE—The Carolina Panthers have selected Ja'Tavion Sanders, tight end from the University of Texas, with the 101st pick in the 2024 NFL draft. The pick is the first of the fourth round, and the second Texas Longhorns player the Panthers have selected in this draft already.
Within minutes of being drafted, Sanders said his teammate Jonathon Brooks FaceTime'd him to celebrate. The two entered Texas together and now will enter the NFL together as well.
"We've been through ups, downs, lows, highs. So, it's just a great experience," Sanders said Saturday of his relationship with Brooks. "When he called, he had a big smile on his face and I did too...I just can't wait to share this next chapter of my life with my brother."
Sanders played three years at Texas; he was primarily special teams as a freshman, but was a major receiving threat for the Longhorns the past two seasons. In 2023, he was the team's third leading receiver with 45 receptions for 682 yards (two touchdowns). That follows the 2022 season, when Sanders had 54 receptions for 613 yards and five touchdowns. At this year's NFL Combine, he ran a 4.69 in the 40-yard dash.
While at Texas, Sanders lined up across the receiver spots, the Longhorns using him in a variety of roles.
"I was a receiver in high school so I'm kind of advanced as far as my receiving goes. And I feel like the tight ends in this draft class, we're the new age tight ends," Sanders said. " Guys like (Travis) Kelce and (Geroge) Kittle and (T.J.) Hockinson, they're the guys who started the new tight end age, but guys like me and Brock (Bowers), Cade (Stover) and Jared Wiley, guys like that, we're the new age tight ends, that bring more the receiving ability to the tight end position.
Sanders will step into a room currently headlined by Tommy Tremble and Stephen Sullivan. However, no tight end on the Panthers last season surpassed 200 receiving yards. With Sanders pass-catching ability, he has the potential to slot in to the offense right away.
"Just my ability to create mismatches, wherever I'm at on the field," Sanders said as to what he can bring to this Bryce Young led offense. "Having the ability to do that, just putting in the defenses mind, they've always got to know where I'm at."
View photos of Texas tight end Ja'Tavion Sanders, drafted by Carolina in the fourth round of the 2024 draft.
Texas tight end Ja'Tavion Sanders (0) makes a catch over BYU safety Crew Wakley (38) during the second half of an NCAA college football game in Austin, Texas, Saturday, Oct. 28, 2023. (AP Photo/Eric Gay)
Texas tight end Ja'Tavion Sanders (0) during the second half of an NCAA college football game against Iowa State, Saturday, Oct. 15, 2022, in Austin, Texas. (AP Photo/Eric Gay)
Texas tight end Ja'Tavion Sanders (0) before an NCAA college football game against Rice in Austin, Texas, Saturday, Sept. 2, 2023. (AP Photo/Eric Gay)
Texas tight end Ja'Tavion Sanders warms up before an NCAA college football game against Alabama, Saturday, Sept. 10, 2022, in Austin, Texas. (AP Photo/Michael Thomas)
Texas tight end Ja'Tavion Sanders (0) warms up before an NCAA college football game against West Virginia Saturday, Oct. 1, 2022, in Austin, Texas. (AP Photo/Stephen Spillman)
Texas tight end Ja'Tavion Sanders (0) is tripped up just short of the goal line by BYU cornerback Jakob Robinson, bottom, during the second half of an NCAA college football game in Austin, Texas, Saturday, Oct. 28, 2023. (AP Photo/Eric Gay)
Texas tight end Ja'Tavion Sanders (0) hauls in a touchdown pass in front of Oklahoma defensive back Key Lawrence (12) during the second half of an NCAA college football game at the Cotton Bowl, Saturday, Oct. 8, 2022, in Dallas. Texas won 49-0. (AP Photo/Jeffrey McWhorter)
Texas tight end Ja'Tavion Sanders catches a touchdown pass in the first half of the Big 12 Conference championship NCAA college football game against Oklahoma State in Arlington, Texas, Saturday, Dec. 2, 2023. (AP Photo/Tony Gutierrez)
Texas tight end Ja'Tavion Sanders (0) makes a catch against Kansas during the first half of an NCAA college football game in Austin, Texas, Saturday, Sept. 30, 2023. (AP Photo/Eric Gay)
Texas tight end Ja'Tavion Sanders (0) hurdles Baylor safety Devin Lemear (20) during the first half of an NCAA college football game Saturday, Sept. 23, 2023, in Waco, Texas. (AP Photo/Gareth Patterson)
Texas tight end Ja'Tavion Sanders (0) celebrates the team's win over West Virginia during an NCAA college football game Saturday, Oct. 1, 2022, in Austin, Texas. (AP Photo/Stephen Spillman)
Texas tight end Ja'Tavion Sanders (0) before an NCAA college football game against Iowa State, Monday, Oct. 17, 2022, in Austin, Texas. (AP Photo/Eric Gay)
Texas tight end Ja'Tavion Sanders (0) fights off a tackle attempt by Oklahoma State safety Trey Rucker (9) as he carries the ball in the first half of the Big 12 Conference championship NCAA college football game in Arlington, Texas, Saturday, Dec. 2, 2023. (AP Photo/Tony Gutierrez)
Texas tight end Ja'Tavion Sanders (0) leaps over Kansas cornerback Mello Dotson (3) after making a catch during the first half of an NCAA college football game in Austin, Texas, Saturday, Sept. 30, 2023. (AP Photo/Eric Gay)
Texas tight end Ja'Tavion Sanders (0) passes Rice cornerback Jonathan Jean (22) on a touchdown run during the second half of an NCAA college football game in Austin, Texas, Saturday, Sept. 2, 2023. (AP Photo/Eric Gay)
Texas tight end Ja'Tavion Sanders (0) is stopped near the goal line by TCU safety Mark Perry (3) during the second half of an NCAA college football game Saturday, Nov. 12, 2022, in Austin, Texas. (AP Photo/Stephen Spillman)
Rice cornerback Tre'shon Devones, right, defends Texas tight end Ja'Tavion Sanders (0) as he tries to pull in a pass during the first half of an NCAA college football game in Austin, Texas, Saturday, Sept. 2, 2023. Pass was called incomplete. (AP Photo/Eric Gay)
Texas tight end Ja'Tavion Sanders (0) gets loose for a long gain against Alabama during the second half of an NCAA college football game, Saturday, Sept. 9, 2023, in Tuscaloosa, Ala. (AP Photo/Vasha Hunt)
