Oxford’s Bryson Sanderson is making plenty of noise for a player who has been committed to Memphis for a while.
The 6-foot-5, 310-pound offensive lineman has drawn attention from other programs anyway, thanks to a senior season that has him looking like one of the toughest blockers in Alabama. Sanderson has been a force for the Yellow Jackets, who are 6-2 and can clinch sole possession of second place in Class 5A, Region 6 with a win Friday against Pinson Valley.
What stands out most is how Sanderson finishes. He keeps driving his man long after the ball is gone, often ending up on the turf with his defender underneath him.
“I would say that’s what I strive for - great effort on every play,” Sanderson said. “If you go at a defensive lineman and hit him for four quarters, eventually he’s going to give up. It’s a pretty common consensus I’ve found.”
That work has earned him bigger-stage recognition, too. Sanderson was chosen last week to play for the state in the Alabama-Mississippi All-Star Classic in Mobile on Dec. 12.
He also joins AL.com’s weekly Best in Bama rankings, which track the top high school football recruits in the state regardless of classification or graduating class. Sanderson is one of five offensive linemen on the list, alongside Alabama commit Stafford Willis of Arab, uncommitted Jatori Williams of Central-Phenix City, Huntsville junior Joey Fleming and Mae Jemison junior Samuel Bailey.
Sanderson will line up with Willis and Williams on the all-star offensive line, and he’s looking forward to the matchup.
“I’m excited to be going against so many great players,” Sanderson said. “I’ve talked with Stafford Willis and I’ve seen Jatori Williams around on recruiting trips, so I know them a little bit. We should have a great offensive line that can compete.”
The recruiting battle around Sanderson is still alive, too. UCF and Wake Forest are among the schools pushing hardest to pull him away from Memphis.
“I’m committed to Memphis, but I’m making official visits to UCF and Wake Forest,” Sanderson said. “I’ve been playing left tackle this year, but different colleges think I could play guard, center or tackle. Right now, I just want to finish out this season strong and make a run in the playoffs.”
The Best in Bama rankings include 13 juniors and four freshmen. Alabama leads all schools with six players in the group, followed by Auburn with five.
Oklahoma, Texas, Florida, Arkansas and Georgia Tech each have two. North Carolina State, Ohio State, Oregon, Miami, West Virginia, Clemson, Ole Miss, Kentucky, Baylor, Virginia Tech, Vanderbilt and Memphis each have one, while 17 players remain uncommitted.
By high school, Thompson leads the way with five selections. Prattville has four, while Williamson has three.
Saraland, Central-Phenix City, Vigor, Spain Park, Selma and Orange Beach each have two. Oxford is also represented, with Sanderson as part of the latest update.
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ESPN analyst Bill Connellys SP+ model still likes Alabama to get the job done, giving the Tide a 76% chance to win. But Texas A&M has climbed a bit in the metric lately, which adds some intrigue to a matchup Alabama cant afford to treat lightly if it wants to stay in the playoff conversation. [Read more 🡒]