Browns NFL Draft Profile: TE Ja’Tavion Sanders

Texas tight end is a “three-level threat” in the passing game, but questions remain about his game that need answering.

The Cleveland Browns, like most teams, struggle to find quality depth at certain positions.

In the case of the Browns, one such area heading into the 2024 season is at tight end.

David Njoku is entrenched at the top of the depth chart, but the dip behind him is somewhat steep with free-agent signing Giovanni Ricci, more of a fullback option, and incumbents Jordan Akins and Zaire Mitchell-Paden filling out the room.

General manager Andrew Berry has said that the team’s philosophy when it comes to the NFL Draft is to make long-term investments in the roster, so it might be worth keeping an eye on tight end Ja’Tavion Sanders from Texas, a threat in the passing game but also a player who is going to need some time to work out the rougher spots of his game.

Name: Ja’Tavion Sanders

Position: Tight end

Height/Weight: 6-foot-4, 245 pounds

College: Texas Longhorns

Stats (3 seasons): 39 career games, 99 receptions, 1,295 yards, 13.1 yards per catch, 7 touchdowns

Relative Athletic Score

Average “Big Board” Position As of Publishing Date

52nd Overall (NFL Mock Draft Database)

PFF Big Board Rank: 51st

What an Expert is Saying

Pros and Cons

Ja’Tavion Sanders has the athletic ability to stretch defenses, but he is on the light side for a tight end, which raises questions about his ability to hold up at the NFL level. And after playing just two seasons at Texas could still use some time to develop on a team that already has a No. 1 tight end in place.

If he can smooth out the rough edges of his game, Sanders has the ability to open up a team’s passing game, according to NFL.com’s Lance Zierlein:

(Sanders is a) talented pass-catching tight end with an exciting floor if he can handle the rigors of the pro game. Sanders possesses an average build, but he has room for more muscle. He flashes as a run blocker, but he isn’t consistent at the point of attack. He can get up the field from in-line or from the slot, beating man coverage at his route stems or separating quickly from turns. He is able to dig in and win combat catches underneath and has proven to be highly effective running the seam or catching intermediate throws into zone pockets.

Teams looking for a tight end with a more complete game might pass on him, but his potential to open up the passing game and become a highly productive pass-catcher should be hard to pass on.

The Athletic’s Dane Brugler likens Sanders to a wide receiver, but also points out that his blocking needs some work:

A true three-level receiving threat, Sanders has the athletic talent of a wide receiver and boxes out downfield to command the catch point (No. 2 among FBS tight ends with 12 catches of 20-plus yards in 2023, one behind Bowers).

He is a functional on-the-move blocker using range and pop, but he needs to put more of a premium on leverage and positioning to survive as an NFL blocker.

Sanders needed only two seasons to become the Longhorns’ all-time leader in catches among TEs (99).

It is his speed that sets Sanders apart, according to Bleacher Report:

Sanders primarily wins with speed. He rips off the line of scrimmage with great acceleration and has a fairly threatening top speed. That same speed and explosiveness shows up when Sanders has the ball. Sanders isn’t quite at the Evan Engram/Jared Cook level for tight end speed, but he’s in that next tier.

As a route-runner, Sanders offers more good than bad. He can be clunky getting in and out of sharp routes, such as stick routes and digs, but any route with a little room for flexibility works for Sanders. Most of his best work is on crossing routes at any depth.

Sanders also brings fantastic ball skills. He’s not big or long, so he isn’t necessarily a ball-winner in the air, but he has excellent strength and concentration in traffic. Sanders shows repeatable ability to pluck the ball from the air and secure it despite a sea of bodies around him.

Browns Player Drafting Could Impact

Any tight end currently on the roster not named David Njoku.

Priority

Upper-medium: The Browns could try to get by this fall with a backup tight end group of Jordan Akins, Zaire Mitchell-Paden, and Giovanni Ricci and probably be OK as long as Njoku does not get hurt. The risk is that trio combined for just 16 receptions for 134 yards and zero touchdowns last season, so the drop-off from Njoku to everyone else is steep.

Sanders has question marks about his blocking and lack of ideal size, but being able to join a team that only needs him to be the second or third option at the position would provide him with some much-needed time to grow into the position.

Sanders may not be the answer because of those question marks, but the Browns will likely be looking at tight ends in the upcoming draft to build some additional protection behind Njoku.