The Buffalo Bills traded up in the second round to get their guy.
One of Buffalo’s biggest needs was defensive tackle and six of them were selected in the first round of the NFL Draft on Thursday. The Bills made sure they took the first defensive tackle on Friday.
Buffalo picked South Carolina’s T.J. Sanders with the 41st pick. The former basketball player is explosive with quick hands and ran the 40-yard dash in 4.95 seconds at his pro day.
Here is how draft experts graded the pick:
USA Today
Attacking needs is the clear theme of the Bills’ draft, as they follow up a selection for their most pressing shortcoming at cornerback by moving up the board for a defensive tackle. Sanders can be disruptive as someone who can shoot the gap, but his inconsistency will make him hard to count on as an every-down defender early in his career.
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Grade: C+
CBS Sports
Such a fun selection for Buffalo. High-caliber athlete with polished hand work. Elite production in SEC. Quality size and plus length for an upfield interior rusher. Fills clear-cut need for the Bills defense. And this was almost a perfectly equivalent swap on draft pick trade chart.
Grade: A
Sporting News
The Bills needed to boost their pass-rush rotation to help newcomer Joey Bosa on the edge and were smart to take this versatile inside disruptor. Sanders is a great fit for Sean McDermott, but he may not have been worth an aggressive trade up the board.
Grade: B
The Athletic
The Bills wanted more push up front, and they traded up with Chicago to get it here. Sanders was incredibly disruptive the past two seasons (8.5 sacks and 16.5 tackles for loss). It may take some time for Sanders to develop into a starter, but he has skills that should be apparent right away.
Grade: B
SB Nation
The Bills needed defensive tackle help, but I feel like TJ Sanders is a copy of guys they already have on the roster. Sanders wins with quickness on the interior as a pass rusher, but isn’t really a run defender. The Bills don’t really have a run defender up the spine of their defense, but Sanders should help their pass rush.
Grade: C+
Sports Illustrated
Sanders goes to the Bills after Buffalo traded up in the second round, adding an interior presence to play alongside Ed Oliver. With the Gamecocks, Sanders registered 8.5 sacks and 17 tackles for loss over the past two seasons, showcasing a blend of athleticism and power. He projects to be an immediate starter for the defending AFC East champs.
Grade: B-
33rd Team
Buffalo traded up to address its other major need, and it’s understandable since defensive tackles flew off the board on Thursday night. TJ Sanders is a pro-ready option who will plug and play as a productive pass-rusher. His upside isn’t huge, but his floor is respectable.
Grade: B
Bleacher Report
The Buffalo Bills understood the assignment on Day 2 of the draft, because they traded up to No. 41 and drafted a defensive tackle in South Carolina’s T.J. Sanders.
Buffalo brought in Larry Ogunjobi as a free agent, but he’s suspended for the first six games of the season for violating the NFL’s PED policy. Meanwhile, veteran nose tackle DaQuan Jones is entering the last year of his current contract.
Sanders isn’t a nose tackle, but he is a disruptive upfield defender with positional flexibility. The Bills needed to add quality depth and talent along their defensive line this offseason. The incoming rookie should pair well with Ed Oliver.
Football originally wasn’t supposed to be in Sanders’ future. He thought a future on the hardwood would be his calling.
Instead, he gave football a try again as a junior in high school, and interest in his game took off. That background definitely shows up in how he plays, particularly as a pass-rusher.
“I was a hooper. I wasn’t touching no football,” Sanders told reporters at his pro day. “One minute you think you are going to the NBA and the next thing you are doing things for the NFL. Crazy how your life can change in the blink of an eye.”
Grade: B
