Sanders was named Penn State's starting running back as a junior in 2018. On September 21, 2018, Sanders rushed for 200 yards and three touchdowns in a win against Illinois. He was named Big Ten Conference Co-Offensive Player of the Week. After a season-ending injury to Mark Allen, Sanders honored the 5th year senior running back by wearing his teammates' number 8 the following week of September 29, 2018, against the Ohio State Buckeyes.
Freshman season
Sanders saw a limited amount of playing time as a true freshman behind teammate Saquon Barkley. He received the majority of his reps on special teams this season. While returning kicks for Penn State, Sanders set the school record for kicks returned in a season. He is also ranked 2nd on the programs list for kick returns in a single season, averaging 20.8 yards per return. Sanders was selected as a BTN.com All-Big Ten Freshman Team honorable mention.
Sophomore season
In 2017, Sanders played in 12 games, making his first college start in one of them. He started his first game against Rutgers on November 11, 2017. Sanders’ sophomore year faced the same fate as the first. As Saquon Barkley had a record shattering season in his junior year, Sanders served as the backup carrying the ball only 6 more times on than the previous season. Sanders was presented with the 2018 Red Worrell Award for the offensive player who has best demonstrated exemplary conduct, loyalty, interest, attitude and improvement during spring practice.
Junior season
With Barkley’s departure from Penn State after the 2017 season, Sanders was named Penn State's starting running back. Sanders started 13 out of 13 games in the 2018 season. On September 1, in his junior season debut against Appalachian State, he carried the ball 19 times rushing for 91 yards and two touchdowns. That also included the game winning 4-yard touchdown in overtime. After this performance he was named the coaching staff Offensive Player of the Week. Sanders’ most notable game of the year came against Illinois on September 21. He Rushed for a career-best 200 yards on 22 carries. He also ended the game with a career high of three rushing touchdowns. He was then named the Big Ten Co-Offensive Player of the Week. To end the season, Sanders finished No. 2 in the Big Ten and No. 15 in the nation with 1,274 rushing yards, was ranked No. 4 in the conference and No. 25 in the FBS with 98.0 rushing yards per game, was No. 5 in the Big Ten and No. 40 in the nation with 5.79 yards per carry. Additionally he finished seventh in the Big Ten in rushing touchdowns and all-purpose yards per game. On January 3, 2019, Sanders decided to declare for the NFL Draft and forego his senior season of college football.
College Statistics
College Statistics
Awards and accolades
Sanders was selected as a BTN.com All-Big Ten Freshman Team honorable mention.
Sanders was presented with the 2018 Red Worrell Award for the offensive player who has best demonstrated exemplary conduct, loyalty, interest, attitude and improvement during spring practice.
Selected second-team All-Big Ten by the league's coaches and media.
Earned second-team All-Big Ten honors by the Associated Press.
Named the team's Most Valuable Offensive Player.
Named Big Ten Offensive Player of the Week after Illinois game.
Tabbed the Rose Bowl Game Big Ten Player of the Week following the Illinois game.
Selected to Pro Football Focus Big Ten Team of the Week following the Pittsburgh game.
Member of the Maxwell Award Watch List.
Among the candidates on the preseason watch list for the Doak Walker Award, given to the nation's top running back.
Professional career
Sanders was drafted by the Philadelphia Eagles in the second round of the 2019 NFL Draft.
2019
Sanders made his NFL debut in Week 1 against the Washington Redskins. In the game, Sanders rushed 11 times for 25 yards as the Eagles won 32–27. In Week 6 against the Minnesota Vikings, Sanders rushed three times for six yards and caught three passes for 86 yards and a touchdown in the 38-20 loss. In a Week 15 game against the Redskins, Sanders rushed 19 times for 122 yards and a touchdown and caught six passes for 50 yards and a touchdown during the 37–27 win. During the game, Sanders passed LeSean McCoy and DeSean Jackson for the most rushing yards by a rookie and the most all-purpose yards by a rookie in franchise history, respectively. In Week 16 against the Dallas Cowboys, Sanders rushed 20 times for 79 yards and a touchdown and caught five passes for 77 yards during the 17–9 win. He finished his rookie season with 818 rushing yards and three rushing touchdowns to go along with 50 receptions for 509 receiving yards and three receiving touchdowns. In the NFC Wild Card game against the Seattle Seahawks, Sanders rushed 14 times for 69 yards during the 17–9 loss.
