How much did Tennessee pay for David Sanders?
Links are your daily dose of Tennessee Athletics news and notes…
David Sanders Jr. the highest paid prospect in the 2025 class?
In an anonymous piece from On3 that involved staffers and various NIL collective members, the participants were asked who they thought the highest paid player in the 2025 class was. Three of them said Michigan quarterback Bryce Underwood — an obvious answer due to his public NIL-related flip from LSU — but one said David Sanders.
Who is the highest-paid recruit in the 2025 class?
An ACC NIL Collective tells @PeteNakos_ it’s 5-star Tennesssee OT David Sanders…
Story: https://t.co/RyXhLcsY97 pic.twitter.com/46hSQsPuiQ
— On3 (@On3sports) February 5, 2025
We know Tennessee went the distance in this battle with Ohio State, and we also know how deep the pockets of the Buckeyes are. So that makes sense. Tennessee won the battle in the end, holding off a late push from Ohio State who never stopped trying even after his initial commitment. Ironically enough, Sanders was on the Tennessee sideline in orange for the playoff game in Columbus just weeks after he was rumored to be pondering a last-minute visit to Ohio State ahead of the early signing period.
It’s safe to say that the Buckeyes upped their offer late. Did Tennessee match it? Or did they simply win because Knoxville was closer to his Charlotte home? We may never know. Recruiting has always been a wild business. Add legal, unrestricted money to the equation? This is what you get.
Report: Tennessee to play in the Players Era Festival in Las Vegas
Per KnoxNews, Tennessee is set to play in the Players Era Festival in Las Vegas for the next three seasons. The event is a week long and offers NIL opportunities for the players. Tennessee is the 18th team to commit to the field so far. The tournament debuted in 2024, but will be back and expanded in 2025. Per the report, up to $50 million will be available over the next three years in the tournament.
Guaranteed NIL money is clearly the way forward with these Thanksgiving-week tournaments. It’s worth wondering if the NCAA tournament as we know it could change over the next several years. What happens if an outsider organizes an alternative tournament that pays out NIL money? Seems crazy, but nothing seems off limits these days.
UConn at Tennessee: A new chapter
Geno Auriemma and UConn head to Knoxville tonight for the latest chapter in this rivalry. It’ll be Kim Caldwell’s first chance in the series as she debuts her new style against Paige Bueckers and the No. 5 Huskies. Caldwell has yet to find that signature win this season, despite being oh-so-close against LSU, Oklahoma and Texas.
The Lady Vols are 7.5 point underdogs tonight at Food City Center.