COLLEGE CAREER – Twice named a first-team All-ACC selection at safety, Sanker was counted on to lead the Virginia secondary the last three seasons. Known as a rangy and versatile safety, he totaled 273 career tackles (176 solo), 13 stops for loss, two sacks for six-yard loss, four forced fumbles, two, fumble recoveries with one returned 40 yards for a touchdown, two interceptions, 17 pass breakups, 19 passes defensed, one special teams fumble recovery and one blocked field goal. Starting 33-of-43 games played during his college career in Charlottesville, the team captain was lauded by Saints coaches and player personnel staff for his high character shown during the draft process. Sanker will look to provide quality depth at safety and special teams in his rookie campaign.
CAREER TRANSACTIONS – Signed to a four-year contract, 5/12/25; Selected in the third round (93rd overall) of the 2025 NFL Draft.
2024 – Voted one of five team captains at the conclusion of the season, team's Defensive Most Valuable Player and selected Associated Press first-team All-Atlantic Coast Conference for second straight year…Started all 12 games at S, leading the team in tackles (98), solo tackles (65), stops for loss (8.5) and fumble recoveries (two)…Led ACC in and ranked seventh in FBS in solo tackles per game (5.4)…Ranked sixth in the league in total tackles per game (8.2)…From his safety position, recorded eight or more tackles in seven of UVA's 12 games, including four double-digit efforts…Scored his first career touchdown on a 40-yard fumble return and added six tackles in 24-14 win over Boston College (10/5), earning him ACC Defensive Back of the Week honors…Had standout performances against Notre Dame (11/9), where he posted a career-high 13 tackles (eight solo) and recovered a fumble on special teams, and at Pittsburgh (11/16), where he recorded five stops (four solo), two tackles for loss, had an interception and blocked a field goal. 2023 – Started all 12 games, leading team in total tackles (107), pass breakups (11) and forced fumbles (three). Led UVA in tackles in eight of 12 games…Led ACC with 6.1 solo stops per game and his 107 total tackles and 8.9 total stops per game were fourth-most in the league…73 solo tackles were the second-most in the ACC and the tenth-most of any defender in FBS, and his 11 pass breakups were the second-most in the league…Named first-team All-ACC safety by the Associated Press…Had seven tackles (five solo) and 0.5 stop for loss in win at North Carolina, Oct. 21…Made seven tackles (four solo), one forced fumble and two passes defensed in win vs. Duke, Nov. 18. 2022 – Appeared in all ten games, starting first nine of season and ranked second on the team with 63 tackles and 36 solo stops, adding one forced fumble, one fumble recovery one interception, two pass breakups and three passes defensed…6.3 tackles-per-game average were good for 24th in the ACC…Recorded five or more tackles in eight of UVA's ten games…Had four tackles and forced a fumble at Illinois (9/10)…Recorded his first career double-digit tackle effort with ten (eight solo) at Syracuse (9/23). Also had a fumble recovery and intercepted his first pass in the contest…Notched season-high 11 tackles at Duke (10/1). 2021 – Appeared in nine games, recording five tackles after appearing as a reserve safety and on special teams.
PERSONAL – Played running back, quarterback and safety at The Covenant School (Charlottesville, Va.)…High School team did not compete in 2020 season due to COVID-19 pandemic…Threw for 1,590 yards and 33 touchdowns and rushed for 1,116 yards and scored 24 TDs as a junior in 2019, the only player in Central Virginia to both run and pass for 1,000 yards…Accounted for three TDs as a defensive player…Had four interceptions and 46 tackles…Helped Covenant to back-to-back eight-man state titles in Virginia Independent Schools Athletic Association Football League as both a sophomore and as a junior…Accounted for eight scores in 2019 state title game…Passed for 295 yards and rushed for 217 yards in the same game…An All-Conference and All-State selection on both sides of the ball in 2019…Led the team to 10-0 records both as a sophomore and as a junior…Played guard for the Eagles basketball team, where he scored over 1,000 career points…Helped the basketball team to their first semifinal appearance during the 2020 VISAA Division III tournament…Participated in Reese's Senior Bowl…Graduated with a foreign affairs degree…Father, George, played football at Colgate and served as Covenant's headmaster from 2011-21…Brother, Nick, plays linebacker at Princeton.
