Longhorns Ex Ja'Tavion Sanders Warns SEC as Texas Arrives: 'True Dominance'

AUSTIN -- The Texas Longhorns are dominating headlines as drills at the NFL Scouting Combine officially kicked off on Thursday in Indianapolis, but former Texas tight end Ja'Tavion Sanders thinks this dominance will continue for the program during Year 1 in the SEC.

Sanders, who is expected to be one of the top tight ends selected in April's draft, met with the media at the Combine on Thursday and had plenty to say about Texas, including his thoughts on the conference change.

“It was fun playing in the Big 12," Sanders said. "The Big 12 is one of those conferences where anybody can beat anybody. And I’m glad Texas and OU is going to the SEC. Now we can assert true dominance.”

The Longhorns showed that they are ready for the SEC after taking down Alabama in Tuscaloosa this past September, a win that eventually helped catapult Texas into the College Football Playoff. Sanders had one of his best games of the season that night, as he finished with a career-high 114 yards on five catches, which included a 50-yard catch-and-run.

Instead of going to Athens, Texas hosts Georgia next season, one of the many reasons some feel that the Longhorns drew a favorable schedule compared to what they could've had. Texas has to go to College Station to play Texas A&M, but will only have two other conference roads games against lesser opponents in Arkansas and Vanderbilt.

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Still, SEC teams - just like those in the Big 12 - will have a target on Texas' back. Nothing will be a given next season despite the year the Longhorns just had.

As for Sanders, he's on his way to the league, but will first have to strut his stuff when the tight ends take the field at the Combine today (Friday) at 2 p.m. CT.

The 2024 NFL Draft begins on Thursday, April 25 in Detroit.