Michigan football to host major D-line target in 2025 class for official visit

It’s official visit season for college football recruiting or at least it will be this weekend. 2025 recruits are taking official visits for the next few weeks — at least most of them — and Michigan football has some talented players set to come to Ann Arbor.

One of those is four-star defensive lineman DJ Sanders from Bellville, Texas. At 6-foot-4, 290 pounds, Sanders would be an ideal fit for the Michigan football defense. He’s more than just a big body and can play all over the defensive front, which is what the Wolverines like.

Michigan hosting 4-star D-line DJ Sanders

Sanders has spent most of his high school career playing defensive end in a four-man front. Michigan uses four-man fronts in sub packages, even if their base defense is probably a 3-4. It’s been varied the past few years and the Wolverines have been very matchup-oriented.

Last season, Sanders was a dominant force. He had 115 tackles, 28 tackles for loss, 15 sacks, three forced fumbles, and three fumble recoveries. In three seasons, he’s got 232 tackles, plus 29.5 sacks. From those stats, you can tell this dude lives in the opponent’s backfield, and here’s the scouting report from 247 Sports:

“A disruptive force with an unverified burly frame hovering around 6-foot-4, 290 pounds. Primarily plays defensive end in a four-man front at the high school level but will slide to the interior defensive line at the next level. One of the stronger defensive linemen at the point of attack in the 2025 recruiting cycle, routinely stacks and sheds opposing offensive linemen with ease. Nimble play style and smooth gait show up frequently while rushing the passer and offer significant long-term value. Finished his junior season with multiple defensive touchdowns on fumble recoveries and interceptions. Possesses a multi-sport profile with promising varsity basketball reps which offer insight into his hip and ankle flexibility. Will need to keep progressing, but has shown plenty so far to eventually emerge as a difference-maker at the P5 level and eventually a NFL Draft pick.”

Thoughts on the recruitment

The Wolverines have become EDGE U. Sanders probably won’t be an EDGE for the Wolverines unless he’s used in the same fashion as Mike Morris. Either way, getting a player of that caliber on campus is good news. Michigan already has one top-100 commitment along the D-line and getting another would be huge, especially since Sanders has had so much success as a pass rusher.

Michigan will host Sanders this weekend. He’s also visiting Texas and Texas A&M next month. Luring him away from the Lone Star State won’t be easy and will require multiple trips, but this is a positive sign for U-M.

Now, the Wolverines just need to knock it out of the park on the visit.

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