Sanders grew up in
Concord, North Carolina. His father, David Sr., was a
college basketball player. Sanders started playing
football at age seven and continued while attending
Providence Day School in
Charlotte, where he became a top
offensive tackle and also played on defense. As a
sophomore, he ranked as the top college recruit nationally for the class of 2025. That year, he was selected to
MaxPreps's Sophomore
All-America team, and Sanders then was named second-team All-American as a
junior in 2023, also being named the Gatorade North Carolina Player of the Year. Sanders was named a finalist for the North Carolina Mr. Football award as a
senior and did not allow a
sack, helping Providence Day win its third-straight state championship. ==College career==