Aug 82 min read

Texas A&M Picks Up Four-Star DL Commit DJ Sanders

Texas A&M and coach Mike Elko pulled off a sweet commitment deal on Aug. 7, picking up four-star defensive lineman DJ Sanders. He was reportedly on the radar for Texas, LSU, Notre Dame and Houston, but he's decided to stay in Central Texas and play Saturdays at Kyle Field in College Station.

Looking over his On3 recruiting profile, On3, ESPN, 247Sports and Rivals all had Sanders at a four-star level. A senior at Bellville High School in Bellville, Texas, Sanders stands 6-foot-3 and weighs 315 pounds.

About DJ Sanders

Sanders is listed as the No. 79 overall prospect and No. 8 defensive lineman for the 2025 recruiting cycle. On3 also ranks Sanders as the No. 14 player in Texas. For the 2025 On300, Sanders is listed as No. 71 overall and No. 6 among defensive linemen.

There's little doubt that he has had a major impact on Bellville's defense. Sanders plays "defensive end in a four-man front at the high-school level but will slide to the interior defensive line at the next level," 247Sports said. "One of the stronger defensive linemen at the point of attack in the 2025 recruiting cycle, routinely stacks and sheds opposing offensive linemen with ease."

As a freshman, Sanders was named District 12-4A-II's Defensive Newcomer of the Year. He followed that up in his sophomore season by earning District 10-4A-II's Defensive MVP honors. Of course, all of those are at the Texas high school football level.

Bellville head coach Grady Rowe has raved about Sanders' play.

"First off, his athletic ability, everybody sees that,” Rowe told Rivals.com. “He’s 6-3, 315 pounds, but he’s light on his feet, can move. That’s the first thing that sticks out, that he can move, can bend. He’s just so athletic. And then he’s explosive at the same time. You don’t see a lot of 300-pounders that can move like he can move.”

Texas A&M Builds Up

Elko and his Texas A&M recruiting team have been able to pull off some sweet coups. Sanders is just the latest four-star player picking the Aggies for his fall football location. Other Texas-based athletes going to College Station include Forney linebacker Kelvion Riggins, DeSoto running back Deondrae Riden and Katy Paetow cornerback Deyjohn Pettaway. The Aggies also picked up a commitment from California four-star standout linebacker Noah Mikhail.

This will be Elko's first season as the Aggies' head coach, taking over for Jimbo Fisher. Texas A&M finished 7-6 overall in 2023, 4-4 in Southeastern Conference play. But Elko is laying a foundation for future success. Whatever Sanders and these other top recruits are hearing is obviously pleasing to their ears.

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