Frank Vondel Sanders (born February 17, 1973), is an American former professional football player who was a wide receiver in the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the Auburn Tigers, earning first-team All-American honors in 1994. He was selected in the second round (47th overall) of the 1995 NFL draft by the Arizona Cardinals.
| No. 81 | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Position: | Wide receiver | ||||||||
| Personal information | |||||||||
| Born: | February 17, 1973 Fort Lauderdale, Florida, U.S. | ||||||||
| Height: | 6 ft 2 in (1.88 m) | ||||||||
| Weight: | 215 lb (98 kg) | ||||||||
| Career information | |||||||||
| High school: | Dillard (Fort Lauderdale) | ||||||||
| College: | Auburn | ||||||||
| NFL draft: | 1995 / round: 2 / pick: 47 | ||||||||
| Career history | |||||||||
| Career highlights and awards | |||||||||
| |||||||||
| Career NFL statistics | |||||||||
| |||||||||
Sanders played in nine NFL seasons. His best season, statistically, in his career came during the 1998 season when he led the National Football Conference (NFC) in receptions with 89 for 1,145 yards and three touchdowns.
College career
editSanders attended Auburn University from 1991–1994. While at Auburn, he was a four-year letterman, and was named First-team All-America by the Associated Press, the Football Writers Association of America and Scripps, as well as a consensus All-SEC selection, after his senior season and leading the Southeastern Conference (SEC) in receiving yards-per-game (91.0) and breaking Auburn's single-season record for receptions (58). Sanders finished his Auburn career second in total receptions with 121, receiving yardage with 1,998 and receiving touchdowns with 15.[1] He was selected in the 14th round (385th overall) of the 1994 Major League Baseball draft by the Seattle Mariners, though he never signed with the team.
In September 2013, he was named to the 2013 SEC Football Legends class.[2]
Career statistics
edit| Season | Receiving | Rushing | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Year | Team | Rec | Yds | Avg | Lng. | TD | Att | Yds | Avg | Lng. | TD |
| 1991 | AUB | 2 | 42 | 21.0 | -- | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1992 | AUB | 13 | 204 | 15.7 | -- | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1993 | AUB | 48 | 842 | 17.5 | -- | 6 | 6 | 57 | 9.5 | -- | 1 |
| 1994 | AUB | 58 | 910 | 15.7 | -- | 7 | 6 | 84 | 14.0 | -- | 2 |
| Career | 121 | 1,998 | 16.5 | -- | 15 | 12 | 141 | 11.8 | -- | 3 | |
Professional career
editSanders was selected in the second round (47th overall) of the 1995 NFL draft by the Arizona Cardinals.[3] As a rookie, he started all 16 games, and recorded 52 receptions for 883 yards and two touchdowns.[4] During Week 6, in a 27–21 loss to the New York Giants he recorded six receptions for 108 yards and the only two touchdowns of the season.[5] In 1996, he recorded 69 receptions or 813 yards and four touchdowns.[6] In 1997, he recorded 75 receptions for 1,017 yards and four touchdowns.[7] In 1998, he experienced his best season statistically. He led the team in receptions (89) and receiving yards (1,145)[8] and three touchdowns. In 1999, he recorded 79 receptions for 954 yards and one touchdown.[9] In 2000, he recorded 54 receptions for 749 yards and a career-high in touchdowns (6).[10] In 2001, he recorded 41 receptions for 618 yards and two touchdowns.[11] In 2002, his final with the Cardinals, he recorded a Cardinals' career low in receptions (34) and receiving yards (400), and two touchdowns.[12]
In April 2003, Sanders signed a four-year contract with the Baltimore Ravens.[13] After suffering injuries throughout the 2003 season, he recorded a career low, 14 receptions for another career low, 170 yards.[14] In April 2004, he was released by the Ravens.[15]
NFL career statistics
edit| Year | Team | Games | Receiving | Rushing | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| GP | GS | Rec | Yds | Avg | Lng | TD | Att | Yds | Avg | Lng | TD | ||
| 1995 | ARI | 16 | 15 | 52 | 883 | 17.0 | 48 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1.0 | 1 | 0 |
| 1996 | ARI | 16 | 16 | 69 | 813 | 11.8 | 34 | 4 | 2 | -4 | -2.0 | 1 | 0 |
| 1997 | ARI | 16 | 16 | 75 | 1,017 | 13.6 | 70 | 4 | 1 | 5 | 5.0 | 5 | 0 |
| 1998 | ARI | 16 | 16 | 89 | 1,145 | 12.9 | 42 | 3 | 4 | 0 | 0.0 | 7 | 0 |
| 1999 | ARI | 16 | 16 | 79 | 954 | 12.1 | 63 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | 0 | 0 |
| 2000 | ARI | 16 | 16 | 54 | 749 | 13.9 | 53 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | 0 | 0 |
| 2001 | ARI | 15 | 13 | 41 | 618 | 15.1 | 68 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | 0 | 0 |
| 2002 | ARI | 12 | 12 | 34 | 400 | 11.8 | 37 | 2 | 3 | 2 | 0.7 | 5 | 0 |
| 2003 | BAL | 13 | 0 | 14 | 170 | 12.1 | 44 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | 0 | 0 |
| Career | 136 | 120 | 507 | 6,749 | 13.3 | 70 | 24 | 11 | 4 | 0.4 | 7 | 0 | |
Post-football
editIn September 2016, Sanders along with the Arizona Cardinals, gave out school supplies to the students at Herrera Elementary School.[16]
References
edit- ^ "All-America WR Frank Sanders honored by SEC". AuburnTigers.com. September 19, 2013. Archived from the original on February 15, 2017. Retrieved February 14, 2017.
- ^ Marcello, Brandon (September 19, 2013). "Former Auburn receiver Frank Sanders named to 2013 SEC Legends Class". AL.com. Retrieved February 14, 2017.
- ^ "1995 NFL Draft Listing". Pro-Football-Reference.com. Retrieved March 31, 2023.
- ^ "1995 Arizona Cardinals Statistics & Players". Pro-Football-Reference.com. Retrieved February 14, 2017.
- ^ George, Thomas (October 9, 1995). "ON PRO FOOTBALL;Generation X's and O's: Cardinals in Transition". The New York Times. Retrieved February 14, 2017.
- ^ "1996 Arizona Cardinals Statistics & Players". Pro-Football-Reference.com. Retrieved February 14, 2017.
- ^ "1997 Arizona Cardinals Statistics & Players". Pro-Football-Reference.com. Retrieved February 14, 2017.
- ^ "1998 Arizona Cardinals Statistics & Players". Pro-Football-Reference.com. Retrieved February 14, 2017.
- ^ "1999 Arizona Cardinals Statistics & Players". Pro-Football-Reference.com. Retrieved February 14, 2017.
- ^ "2000 Arizona Cardinals Statistics & Players". Pro-Football-Reference.com. Retrieved February 14, 2017.
- ^ "2001 Arizona Cardinals Statistics & Players". Pro-Football-Reference.com. Retrieved February 14, 2017.
- ^ "2002 Arizona Cardinals Statistics & Players". Pro-Football-Reference.com. Retrieved February 14, 2017.
- ^ Pasquarelli, Len (April 17, 2003). "Ravens, WR Sanders Agree to Deal". ESPN.com. Retrieved February 14, 2017.
- ^ "2003 Baltimore Ravens Statistics & Players". Pro-Football-Reference.com. Retrieved February 14, 2017.
- ^ "Kittner caught in QB numbers game". ESPN.com. April 27, 2004. Retrieved February 14, 2017.
- ^ "Valley students get big surprise from the Cardinals". Fox10Phoenix.com. September 7, 2016. Retrieved February 14, 2017.