Sanders grew up in Denton, Texas and attended Billy Ryan High School, where he played basketball and was a wide receiver and defensive end on the football team.
[3][4] Sanders was rated a five-star recruit as an athlete and committed to play college football at Texas over offers from Alabama, Florida, Florida State, Georgia, LSU, Notre Dame, Ohio State, Oklahoma, and Texas A&M.
[5] Sanders joined the Texas Longhorns as an early enrollee in 2021 and played on both offense and defense during preseason practices.
[8] Sanders entered his sophomore season as the Longhorns' primary tight end after transfer Jahleel Billingsley was suspended for the team's first six games.
[9][10] Sanders was twice-named All-Big 12 before declaring for the 2024 NFL draft following the team's loss in the 2024 Sugar Bowl.