NFL CAREER – The Saints found a plug and play starter in the defensive backfield after drafting Sanker with their second selection in the third round (93rd overall) of the 2025 NFL Draft. The Charlottesville, Va. native was a key cog in the Saints defense during his rookie campaign, playing in all 17 games with 16 starts, tying for first on the team with three takeaways, was fourth on the team with 78 tackles, third with six pass breakups and was one of six players with an interception, tying for second on the club with two picks. Sanker has proven to be a solid tackler who is willing to play with physicality while also showing the range to make plays in coverage. Sanker will look to continue building on his solid rookie campaign and anchor the back end of the New Orleans defense.
CAREER TRANSACTIONS – Signed to a four-year contract, 5/12/25; Selected in the third round (93rd overall) of the 2025 NFL Draft.
HONORS – 2025: All-Rookie selection (ESPN.com).
2025 – Played in all 17 games with 16 starts at free safety starting in Week Two, posting 78 tackles (46 solo), two interceptions, six pass breakups, one fumble recovery and two special teams stops. Sanker finished his rookie campaign fourth on the team in tackles (78, fourth most by a Saints rookie safety since 1977), tied for first in total takeaways (three), and finished second among rookie safeties in takeaways…Made his first career start at free safety vs. San Francisco, Sept. 14 and notched eight tackles…At Buffalo, Sept. 28, finished with five tackles, three pass breakups and first career interception…Vs. N.Y. Giants, Oct. 5, finished with seven tackles (season-high six solo), a stop for loss and first career fumble recovery, becoming the first Saints rookie since Marshon Lattimore (2017) to have takeaways in back-to-back contests…Finished with five tackles (four solo), a stop for a loss and a coverage tackle vs. New England, Oct. 12…At L.A. Rams, Nov. 2, finished with a career-high tying eight stops (five solo) and one pass breakup…Vs. Carolina, Dec. 14 finished with team-high tying six tackles (three solo), adding a stop for loss…Vs. N.Y. Jets, Dec. 22, recorded five stops (one solo), two pass breakups, one interception and one coverage tackle.
COLLEGE – A two-time first-team All-Atlantic Coast Conference selection at safety, Sanker was counted on to lead the Virginia secondary the last three seasons. Known as a rangy and versatile safety, Sanker played in 43 games with 33 starts, posting 273 career tackles (176 solo), 13 stops for loss, two sacks for losses of six yards, 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 a blocked field goal…Voted one of five team captains at the conclusion of the 2024 season, team's Defensive MVP and selected AP first-team All-ACC for second straight year. Started all 12 games, leading 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). 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…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, one pass defense and blocked a field goal…In 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. AP first-team All-ACC…Had seven tackles (five solo) and 0.5 stop for loss in win at North Carolina, Oct. 21…Made seven tackles (four solo), a forced fumble and two pass breakups in win vs. Duke, Nov. 18…In 2022, appeared in all ten games, starting first nine and ranked second on team with 63 tackles (36 solo), adding a forced fumble, a fumble recovery, an interception, two pass breakups and three passes defensed. 6.3 tackles-per-game average were good for 24th in ACC. Recorded five or more tackles in eight of UVA's ten games…Had four tackles and forced one fumble at Illinois (9/10)…Recorded first career double-digit tackle effort with ten (eight solo) at Syracuse (9/23). Also had one fumble recovery and intercepted his first career pass in the contest…Notched season-high 11 tackles at Duke (10/1)…Played in nine games in 2021, recording five tackles as a reserve safety and on special teams…Graduated with a foreign affairs degree.
PERSONAL – Played running back, quarterback and safety at The Covenant School (Charlottesville, Va.)…High school team did not compete in the 2020 season due to COVID-19 pandemic…Threw for 1,590 yards and 33 touchdowns and rushed for 1,116 yards and 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 in the 2020 VISAA Division III tournament…Participated in the Reese's Senior Bowl…Father, George, played football at Colgate and served as Covenant's headmaster from 2011-21…Brother, Nick, played linebacker at Princeton.
