When Boise State comes into Arizona, they do not leave empty handed. Just days after receiving a verbal commitment from Chandler WR Jalen Richmond, the Boise State staff landed yet another Chandler Wolves' talent - this time landing a commitment from one of the most explosive running backs in the entire state. Chandler High School Class of 2021 RB, Eli Sanders, took to Twitter over the weekend to announce his commitment to the Broncos. Sanders becomes the third known commit in the Broncos 2021 recruiting class.
"What stood out to me the most about Boise State University from the rest was that their academics are top in the country and their facilities and coaches were very nice," Sanders told ArizonaVarsity.com. "The (Coaches) made me feel at home on every virtual visit and phone call. We built a great relationship with all the coaches throughout the recruiting process as well."
Sanders finished his Junior campaign averaging 7.4 yards per carry and rushing for 10 touchdowns. Once the season ended, Sanders saw his recruitment take-off, racking up multiple Division 1 offers, including in-state Power 5 offers from University of Arizona and Arizona State.
"I’m just very grateful for all the opportunities I had throughout this recruiting process," said Sanders. "(I'm) thankful for the coaches that sat down and reviewed my film and reached out to me and made the time to build a relationship with me and give me opportunity play at their University!"
"What excites me the most about being apart of that (Boise State) team is just knowing that I can join that explosive offense and bring what I have to Boise."
Coach's Comments
Eli Sanders is one of the most versatile running backs in the state. What makes him special and why will his skill set translates well to the next level?
Eric Richardson, Chandler Running Backs Coach: "(Eli) was the #1 guy on their board. I think it's a perfect fit for both him and them. He runs the ball with power and catches the ball like a receiver. He's a tough runner, but also catches tremendously well. (Boise State) will have the ability to move him around their offense and use him many ways just like we do here."
Rick Garretson, Chandler Head Coach: "He's just a really high-energy, high-technique type of guy, he wants to learn how to get better...His yards after contact pops out. His ability to bounce off of players and continue to move forward is something that will work well at (Boise State.) He's an excellent receiver (out of the backfield) and we're just really proud of him in how he developed throughout the year. We're really looking forward to him having a big 2020 season. There's no question that he has the ability to be the next best Chandler RB."
Film Analysis
My Take: For the Broncos to come into Arizona and land a talent like Sanders is a huge STEAL!! Eli Sanders is one of the best 1-2 cut running backs that I've seen in this state from the Class of 2021. He has solid size, can run between the tackles, and gets into second gear quickly. His ability to shoot holes, keeping his shoulders square upfield, gassing past the second and third levels of a defense makes him a special talent. The first play from his film looks like Sanders was shot out of a cannon. He hits his top speed quickly, and he explodes right past the deep safety. Coach Garretson spoke a lot about Sanders' ability to create mismatches out of the backfield in the passing game, and the play at the 1:08 mark shows exactly this. That's a skillset that will help Sanders not only at the high school level, but at the Division 1 level as well. A diversified set of strengths is what keeps running backs in a game regardless of the scenario. This is a player who's coming into next season with fresh legs, only carrying the rock 87 times last Fall. He'll likely be Chandler's feature back next Fall, and there's no doubt in my mind that his stats will be double what they were last season. It should come as no surprise to anyone when Eli Sanders tears up Mountain West defenses in the nearby future.
From Guest Analyst Keegan Herring. Herring played for the Arizona State Sun Devils through the 2005 - '08 seasons, finishing his career with 2,635 rushing yards and 20 rushing TDs.
Keegan Herring on Eli Sanders: "He has sneaky speed that reminds me of Derrick Henry. Doesn't do a lot of dancing around, great north and south runner! All it takes is one cut and he's running 4.4 down the sideline. Looks like he can catch out of the backfield which is a great plus in today's game of mismatches! I love this kids vision, in his head he is already a couple steps ahead of the defender. Looking forward to seeing his career pan out."
