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DL, 6'5, 255, 4.8, 350 bp
Sandersville, GA
Nickname: Tico
High School: WACO
HS Number: 75
AL Number: 1?
Official Visits: Alabama, South Carolina
Second Choice: South Carolina
Host During Alabama Visit: Chris Horne
Committed: January 21, 1998
Academic Status: Qualified
Stats
HS Junior Season
Tackles
HS Senior Season
Tackles
Honors
- All-Region
- All-State
- All Middle Georgia
- SuperPrep All-American
- Prep Star All-American
Stories
As the Story Goes …
Alabama got Derek Sanders because Georgia didn’t want him. But there’s more to the story than that.
"Georgia was recruiting me hard," Derek says. "They were calling or coming to see me every week."
Georgia told Derek that they had a scholarship for him, but …
"They said that if I visited Alabama that they were going to give my scholarship to someone else."
He ignored Georgia’s threat and visited Tuscaloosa. He publicly committed to the Tide on January 21, but he had long before decided on Alabama.
"They were just always in my heart."
On The Recruiting Trail …
The One That Got Away
Alabama landed Derek Sanders, but another big one from WACO got away.
During recruiting it was difficult to get a read on LB Jesse Miller. Some said Tennessee. Others said Georgia. Nobody said Alabama.
But according to Derek Sanders, the Tide almost pulled off a major coup.
"He took a visit over there and really liked it. When he got back he told us that he was going to Alabama."
That was on Monday, January 19. Two days later Miller committed to Georgia.
"There was just too much pressure," Sanders says. "Rodney Garner stayed after him. They just wouldn’t let up."
Speaking of Garner …
He recruited Derek Sanders too.
"He recruited me while he was at Tennessee. He was okay."
Family Ties
Derek Sanders has a cousin who’ll be a prospect next season. DB Alvin Sanders, 5’10, 165, 4.5, was the top coverman for WACO last season.
"He’ll probably be interested in coming to Alabama," Derek says. "He’s not as quick as Terrence Edwards, but he’s got a mean streak."
Q&A
TI: Why did you pick Alabama?
DS: Because of the atmosphere and the coaches, especially Coach Swinney. He’s easy-going and very straight. The whole time he recruited me he never said anything bad about another school. I liked that.
TI: Speaking of the coaches, what are they telling you about next season?
DS: They’re saying that I have a chance play early. I plan on going over there in the best shape of my life. I want to play soon.
TI: On film of you appear to be tall and rangy. Do you expect to play inside or outside on the defensive line.
DS: Right now I’m set to play defensive end. I think my height and speed will help me out there. I may end up at tackle, but I’ll need to get a little bigger. [Derek says he’s around 255.]
TI: Tell us about your strengths and weaknesses.
DS: I’m tall and have the frame to get bigger. I like my speed too. I need to get more physical and a little quicker.
DS: You told us earlier that you want to wear the number 1. That’s kind of a strange number for a 6’5, 255 pound defensive lineman.
DS: [Laughing] Yeah, I know. I’ve told the coaches that I want number 1 or at least a single-digit number. I just like single-digit numbers.
[Editors note: Chris Horne, former HS teammate of Sanders at WACO, currently wears number 1. But he’s is expected to switch next year to number 11.]
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