Bentlee Sanders (born September 17, 1998) is an American professional football defensive back for the Calgary Stampeders of the Canadian Football League (CFL). He played college football at South Florida and Nevada.
| No. 40 Calgary Stampeders | |
 Sanders with the Calgary Stampeders in 2024 | |
| Born: | September 17, 1998 Tampa, Florida, U.S. |
|---|---|
| Career information | |
| Status | Active |
| CFL status | American |
| Position(s) | DB |
| Height | 5 ft 9 in (175 cm) |
| Weight | 182 lb (83 kg) |
| College | South Florida, Nevada |
| Career history | |
| As player | |
| 2024–present | Calgary Stampeders |
| Career highlights and awards | |
| |
| Career stats | |
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Early life
editSanders attended Tampa Catholic High School in Tampa, Florida.[1][2] He made 56 tackles and three interceptions his junior year, earning second-team All-State honors.[3] He was rated a three-star recruit by 247Sports and Rivals.com.[3]
College career
editSanders first played college football for the South Florida Bulls from 2017 to 2021. He appeared in one game his freshman year in 2017 and made one tackle.[3] He played in 12 games, starting two, in 2018, recording 28 tackles and one forced fumble while also returning 17 kickoffs for 455 yards. Sanders played in 12 games, starting nine, during the 2019 season, totaling 40 tackles, two sacks, two forced fumbles, and three pass breakups while also returning 19 kicks for 425 yards.[3] He appeared in six games, starting four, during the COVID-19 shortened 2020 season, accumulating 25 tackles, one interception and two pass breakups. He also missed three games that year due to "COVID-19 issues".[3]
Sanders transferred to play for the Nevada Wolfpack from 2021 to 2022.[3] He played in all 13 games, recording 24 tackles and two pass breakups in 2021.[3] He started all 12 games for the Wolfpack during his sixth season of college football in 2022, totaling 82 tackles, five interceptions (one of which was returned for a touchdown), and three forced fumbles, earning first-team All-Mountain West honors.[3][4] Sanders was named an Associated Press midseason All-American and one of 12 semifinalists for the Jim Thorpe Award after co-leading the FBS with five interceptions partway through the 2022 season.[5][6][7][8]
Professional career
editAfter going undrafted in the 2023 NFL draft, Sanders was invited to rookie minicamp on a tryout basis with the Philadelphia Eagles and Tennessee Titans.[9] He was selected by the DC Defenders in the 2023 XFL rookie draft im June 2023.[10]
He signed with the Calgary Stampeders of the Canadian Football League (CFL) on January 18, 2024.[11][12][13]
References
edit- ^ Putnam, Bob (November 3, 2016). "Football's a beacon after dark days for Tampa Catholic's Bentlee Sanders". tampabay.com. Retrieved August 17, 2024.
- ^ Odom, Jeff (February 1, 2017). "Tampa Catholic's Bentlee Sanders brings 'warrior mentality' to USF". Tampa Bay Times. Retrieved August 17, 2024.
- ^ a b c d e f g h "Bentlee Sanders". nevadawolfpack.com. Retrieved August 17, 2024.
- ^ Marchionte (January 5, 2023). "Nevada Safety Bentlee Sanders Awaits All-Star Invite". si.com. Retrieved August 17, 2024.
- ^ "Nevada safety Bentlee Sanders named Jim Thorpe Award semifinalist". 2news.com. October 24, 2024. Retrieved August 17, 2024.
- ^ Healy, Neil (October 25, 2022). "Nevada defensive back Bentlee Sanders named a finalist for Jim Thorpe Award". rgi.com. Retrieved August 17, 2024.
- ^ Ritenhouse, Duke (October 18, 2022). "Pack DB Bentlee Sanders named midseason All-American". nevadaappeal.com. Retrieved August 17, 2024.
- ^ Murray, Chris (October 13, 2022). "How Nevada's Bentlee Sanders became FBS leader in interceptions in sixth college season". nevadasportsnet.com. Retrieved August 17, 2024.
- ^ Murray, Chris (May 2, 2023). "Nevada's Bentlee Sanders gets rookie minicamp invitations from two NFL teams". nevadasportsnet.com. Retrieved August 17, 2024.
- ^ Murray, Chris (June 16, 2023). "Nevada's Bentlee Sanders selected by D.C. Defenders in XFL draft". nevadasportsnet.com. Retrieved August 17, 2024.
- ^ "Calgary Stampeders Transactions". Footballdb.com. Retrieved August 17, 2024.
- ^ Murray, Chris (January 18, 2024). "Nevada football alum Bentlee Sanders signs with CFL's Calgary Stampeders". nevadawolfpack.com. Retrieved August 17, 2024.
- ^ "For town or country: Stampeders ink DB Bentlee Sanders". 3downnation.com. January 18, 2024. Retrieved August 17, 2024.