In what may have been a surprise to some following Friday’s trade frenzy, the Carolina Panthers stuck on and made their pick to start Day 3 of the 2024 NFL draft. And in what may have not been a surprise to others, they took a prospect they’ve already shown interest in.
With the 101st selection, the Panthers grabbed University of Texas tight end Ja’Tavion Sanders. The 6-foot-4, 245-pounder, like the three picks for Carolina before him, visited with the team during the pre-draft process.
A Denton, Texas native, Sanders played his high school ball at Billy Ryan. There, he earned All-America, all-state and all-district selections and was a 2020 finalist for the Mr. Texas Football Award.
Sanders went on to become a Longhorn beginning in 2021. For the next three years, he’d amass 99 receptions for 1,295 yards and seven touchdowns while reeling in a pair of first-team All-Big 12 nods (2022 and 2023).
Carolina has not received much production out of the tight end position in recent years. Over the past two seasons, Panthers tight ends have combined for 1,078 yards and seven scores on 109 catches.
