It’s game day! There are zero days left until the start of the Carolina Panthers 2025 schedule, so today’s countdown piece is about number 0 in your program, tight end Ja’Tavion Sanders.
Editor’s note: That means the game is today, y’all, in case you’ve missed the entire point of this series.
Before the Panthers
The 6-foot-4, 252-pound tight end spent three college seasons with the Texas Longhorns before declaring for the 2024 NFL draft following his junior year. As a freshman in 2021 he appeared in 12
games, primarily playing special teams, without recording any offensive stats. In his 2022 sophomore season he had a breakout campaign with 54 receptions for 613 yards and five touchdowns. He followed that up in 2023 with 45 receptions for 682 yards and two touchdowns.
Per Texas’s team website, Sanders ranks first all-time at Texas for career receptions by a tight end (99) and second in receiving yards (1,295). He was named All-Big 12 First Team in both 2022 and 2023.
His role with the Panthers
Panthers fans have been pining for a tight end who can act as a reliable target in the passing game since Greg Olsen left town after the 2019 season. Ja’Tavion Sanders just might develop into that guy.
The Panthers selected Sanders in the fourth round (No. 101 overall) in last year’s draft. He had a very promising rookie season in 2024 with 33 receptions for 342 yards and one touchdown. He caught 33 of his 43 targets, giving him an impressive 76.7% catch rate. He also averaged just over 10 yards per reception, showing that he can get downfield for a tight end.
If Ja’Tavion can build on the chemistry he was establishing with quarterback Bryce Young last year, the second-year tight end could have a breakout season in 2025. He should be the team’s starting tight end and will command a lot of snaps, especially in the passing game. Don’t be surprised to see him approach 50 receptions and 500 yards this year, which would feel like manna from heaven in the Carolinas coming from the tight end spot.
Ja’Tavion Sanders has a ton of upside. As the Panthers continue their youth movement on the offensive side of the ball, he sometimes gets overshadowed by wide receivers Xavier Legette, Tetairoa McMillan, and Jalen Coker. But Sanders is no less valuable, and he’s going to prove it this year.
