2018 Draft Profiles for all Georgia Football players
Dominick Sanders, OLB:
How good was he in Athens?
Sanders will leave Athens holding one heck of a record. A 4-year starter at the safety position, he totaled 16 interceptions during his time in Athens. That’s tied with Bacarri Rambo and Jake Scott for the most in UGA history.
He was an ever-present member of solid defenses during his 4 years. Statistically, his finest season was his sophomore year, when he had 6 picks and scored his only touchdown for the Dawgs. His time in Athens will be remembered for him being a consistent player who made a big impact between the hedges. A DGD if ever there was one, Sanders was a high achiever who pushed himself into the UGA record books.
Could he be better in the pros?
The issue for Sanders is how much better can he get. He was never a great athlete during his time in Athens and he really maxed out his potential in college. I don’t know how much room for growth he has in the NFL and that could be a problem. He is also very much a safety. Sanders doesn’t have a tremendous amount of versatility like Aaron Davis and that could hurt him as well.
That being said, in this day and age, teams need guys like Sanders. He can cover the back end and make tackles as well as a big play. If the ball is up for grabs, he has shown a knack for coming down with it and getting a turnover.
Projected grade and landing spots:
Sanders doesn’t have the size or speed most teams are looking for right now. That means I think it’s going to be hard for him to be picked very high. I do however think he gets picked before the draft ends. I can see someone in the 7th round choosing to take a flyer on him. He’s a player who has overcome his limitations to be incredibly productive in the nation’s toughest conference.
I could see Sanders getting picked by a team like the Browns or the Raiders. Both of them are needy at the safety position and could add Sanders as a depth piece to compete in training camp. If he doesn’t get drafted, look for Sanders to be a highly sought-after free agent. That demand is another reason I expect someone to pull the trigger in the 7th.