Jock Sanders (born June 14, 1988) is a former American professional

gridiron football Gridiron football,"Gridiron football"
''Encyclopædia Britannica''. Ret ...

slotback Slotback, sometimes referred to as an A-back or slot receiver, is a position in gridiron football. The "slot" is the area between the last offensive lineman on either side of the center and the wide receiver on that side. A player who lines up ...

and

running back A running back (RB) is a member of the offensive backfield in gridiron football. The primary roles of a running back are to receive handoffs from the quarterback to rush the ball, to line up as a receiver to catch the ball, and block. The ...

. He has played for the

Ottawa Redblacks The Ottawa Redblacks (officially stylized as REDBLACKS) (French: Le Rouge et Noir d'Ottawa) are a professional Canadian football team based in Ottawa, Ontario. The team plays in the East Division of the Canadian Football League (CFL). Starting ...

of the

Canadian Football League The Canadian Football League (CFL; french: Ligue canadienne de football—LCF) is a professional sports league in Canada. The CFL is the highest level of competition in Canadian football. The league consists of nine teams, each located in a ...

. He was signed by the

Tampa Bay Buccaneers The Tampa Bay Buccaneers are a professional American football team based in Tampa, Florida. The Buccaneers compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's National Football Conference (NFC) NFC South, South divisio ...

as an

undrafted free agent In professional sports, a free agent is a player who is eligible to sign with other clubs or franchises; i.e., not under contract to any specific team. The term is also used in reference to a player who is under contract at present but who is a ...

in 2011 before joining the

BC Lions The BC Lions are a professional Canadian football team based in Vancouver, British Columbia. The Lions compete in the West Division of the Canadian Football League (CFL), and play their home games at BC Place. The Lions played their first season ...

practice squad. He played for the

Saskatchewan Roughriders The Saskatchewan Roughriders are a professional Canadian football team based in Regina, Saskatchewan. The Roughriders compete in the Canadian Football League (CFL) as a member club of the league's West Division. The Roughriders were founded i ...

for the 2012 and 2013 seasons. He signed a contract extension with the

Calgary Stampeders The Calgary Stampeders are a professional Canadian football team based in Calgary, Alberta. The Stampeders compete in the West Division of the Canadian Football League (CFL). The club plays its home games at McMahon Stadium and are the third ...

on February 4, 2015, and was released on June 14, 2015. He played college football at

West Virginia West Virginia is a state in the Appalachian, Mid-Atlantic and Southeastern regions of the United States.The Census Bureau and the Association of American Geographers classify West Virginia as part of the Southern United States while the ...

Early life

In high school at St. Petersburg Catholic High, Sanders was a three-time all-state receiver and running back. He was named the team MVP two times in his career while rushing for 1,600 yards and 19 touchdowns as a junior and 1,200 yards and 24 touchdowns as a senior. He was also a basketball letterman. Sanders was given three and two stars by different recruiting sites while being recruited by

West Virginia University West Virginia University (WVU) is a public land-grant research university with its main campus in Morgantown, West Virginia. Its other campuses are those of the West Virginia University Institute of Technology in Beckley, Potomac State Coll ...

(WVU),

University of Florida The University of Florida (Florida or UF) is a public land-grant research university in Gainesville, Florida. It is a senior member of the State University System of Florida, traces its origins to 1853, and has operated continuously on its ...

Ohio State University The Ohio State University, commonly called Ohio State or OSU, is a public land-grant research university in Columbus, Ohio. A member of the University System of Ohio, it has been ranked by major institutional rankings among the best pu ...

University of Central Florida The University of Central Florida (UCF) is a public research university whose main campus is in unincorporated Orange County, Florida. UCF also has nine smaller regional campuses throughout central Florida. It is part of the State University ...

Bowling Green University Bowling Green State University (BGSU) is a Public university, public research university in Bowling Green, Ohio. The main academic and residential campus is south of Toledo, Ohio. The university has nationally recognized programs and research ...

, and

University of South Florida The University of South Florida (USF) is a public research university with its main campus located in Tampa, Florida, and other campuses in St. Petersburg and Sarasota. It is one of 12 members of the State University System of Florida. USF i ...

as an athlete. Sanders eventually committed to West Virginia University after a December 2, 2006 visit.

College career

Freshman season

Sanders went to West Virginia with high school legend Noel Devine in the Mountaineers' recruiting class. Sanders eventually made the team as the third-string running back behind Devine and collegiate star

Steve Slaton Steve Slaton (born January 4, 1986) is a former American football running back. He played college football for West Virginia University, and earned consensus All-American honors. He was chosen by the Houston Texans in the third round of the 2 ...

and a slot receiver position. Sanders was listed as the second-string back for the season opener against

Western Michigan University Western Michigan University (Western Michigan, Western or WMU) is a Public university, public research university in Kalamazoo, Michigan. It was initially established as Western State Normal School in 1903 by Governor Aaron T. Bliss for the tr ...

after an impressive off-season. In the season opener against

, Sanders had three carries for 13 yards and a reception for 13 yards. He also had a total of 37 return yards on two returns (a punt and kickoff return). In the next game against Marshall, Sanders saw no action as Devine was the second-string runner and returner. In the third game against

Maryland Maryland ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the Mid-Atlantic (United States), Mid-Atlantic region of the United States. It shares borders with Virginia, West Virginia, and the District of Columbia to its south and west; Pennsylvania to its north; ...

, Sanders got in on the last two plays of the game in which he rushed on both plays for 11 yards. Against

East Carolina University East Carolina University (ECU) is a public research university in Greenville, North Carolina. It is the fourth largest university in North Carolina. Founded on March 8, 1907, as a teacher training school, East Carolina has grown from its origi ...

the following game, Sanders totaled three rushes for 15 yards and one reception for 6 yards. He also had key blocks that sprung receiver Darius Reynaud for two touchdowns in the 48-7 win. Against

Syracuse University Syracuse University (informally 'Cuse or SU) is a Private university, private research university in Syracuse, New York. Established in 1870 with roots in the Methodist Episcopal Church, the university has been nonsectarian since 1920. Locate ...

in the 55-14 win, Sanders had two rushes for 10 yards and his first career touchdown, two receptions for 12 yards, and a kick return for 27 yards. In the 38-31 win over

University of Louisville The University of Louisville (UofL) is a public research university in Louisville, Kentucky. It is part of the Kentucky state university system. When founded in 1798, it was the first city-owned public university in the United States and one of ...

, he had two receptions for 32 yards, including a screen pass that Sanders broke for 23-yards. In the 28-23 victory on the road against No. 22

University of Cincinnati The University of Cincinnati (UC or Cincinnati) is a public research university in Cincinnati, Ohio. Founded in 1819 as Cincinnati College, it is the oldest institution of higher education in Cincinnati and has an annual enrollment of over 44,00 ...

, Sanders had a reception for 15 yards, in which he leaped into the air and pulled the ball down in the middle of the field in the redzone. In the Big East Championship-clinching 66-21 win over No. 20

University of Connecticut The University of Connecticut (UConn) is a public land-grant research university in Storrs, Connecticut, a village in the town of Mansfield. The primary 4,400-acre (17.8 km2) campus is in Storrs, approximately a half hour's drive from H ...

, Sanders rushed for 58 yards and a touchdown on only three carries, helped out by his 56-yard long. Sanders finished his true freshman season with 12 receptions for 102 yards, an 8.5-yard average per reception. He also had 16 carries for 105 yards and two touchdowns. Sanders also had 5 total returns for 101 yards. Sanders finished the season with 308 all-purpose yards while playing in all 13 games on the year.

Sophomore season

Before the 2008 season began in February, Sanders was involved in an altercation. He and his teammate Noel Devine, along with four other

students; participated in an off-campus attack upon two of their fellow WVU students, outside of a Morgantown bar known as Club Z. To begin his sophomore season, Sanders totaled 62 yards on 8 receptions for two touchdowns and also had 28 yards rushing on two carries and 54 yards on two kick returns in the 48-21 victory over the

Villanova Wildcats The Villanova Wildcats are the athletic teams of Villanova University. They compete in the Big East (NCAA Division I) for every sport; except football and rowing where they compete in the Colonial Athletic Association (Football Championship Su ...

. In the following 24-3 loss to the

East Carolina Pirates The East Carolina Pirates are the athletic teams that represent East Carolina University (ECU), located in Greenville, North Carolina. All varsity-level sports teams participate at the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division I ...

, he had three receptions for 20 yards and three kickoff returns for 54 yards. In the 17-14 loss to the

Colorado Buffaloes The Colorado Buffaloes are the athletic teams that represent the University of Colorado. The university sponsors 17 varsity sports teams. Both the men's and women's teams are called the Buffaloes (Buffs for short) or, rarely, the Golden Buffaloes ...

, Sanders rushed seven times for 30 yards and also caught a reception for no gain. In the 27-3 victory over

Marshall University Marshall University is a public research university in Huntington, West Virginia. It was founded in 1837 and is named after John Marshall, the fourth Chief Justice of the United States. The university is currently composed of nine colleges: ...

, Sanders totaled 8 receptions for 60 yards and a touchdown and rushed two times for 13 yards. In the 24-17 victory over the

Rutgers Scarlet Knights The Rutgers Scarlet Knights are the athletic teams that represent Rutgers University's New Brunswick campus. In sports, Rutgers is famously known for being the "Birthplace of College Football", hosting the first ever intercollegiate football ...

, he had 4 receptions for 47 yards and a touchdown. Then in the 17-6 victory over the

Orangemen, 4 passes for 22 yards, a touchdown, and 4 rushes for 11 yards were recorded by him. Sanders' 12-yard touchdown reception from backup Jarrett Brown was his fifth of the season - all being in home games. In the 34-17 victory over the

Auburn Tigers The Auburn Tigers are the athletic teams representing Auburn University, a public four-year coeducational university located in Auburn, Alabama, United States. The Auburn Tigers compete in Division I of the National Collegiate Athletic Assoc ...

, Sanders rushed 6 times for 42 yards and caught 4 passes for 31 yards. Sanders finished the game with 73 total yards. Then in the 35-13 win over No. 25

Connecticut Connecticut () is the southernmost state in the New England region of the Northeastern United States. It is bordered by Rhode Island to the east, Massachusetts to the north, New York to the west, and Long Island Sound to the south. Its cap ...

, Sanders rushed 7 times for 45 yards and two touchdowns, and caught 3 passes for 21 yards and a touchdown. He finished the road victory with 66 total yards and a career-high 3 touchdowns. In the following 26-23 overtime loss to the

Cincinnati Bearcats The Cincinnati Bearcats are the athletic teams that represent the University of Cincinnati. Though they will move to the Big 12 Conference (XII) the teams are currently a part of the American Athletic Conference (The American), which from 1979 ...

, Sanders finished the game with 5 receptions for 52 yards, including a 30-yard reception during the 4th quarter comeback, and two rushes for -3 yards. Sanders then followed-up the loss in the 35-21 victory over rival the

Louisville Cardinals The Louisville Cardinals (also known as the Cards) are the NCAA athletic teams representing the University of Louisville. The Cardinals teams play in the Atlantic Coast Conference, beginning in the 2014 season. While playing in the Big East Co ...

with a 25-yard touchdown reception and 3 rushes for 14 yards. In the following 19-15

Backyard Brawl The Backyard Brawl is an American college football rivalry between the University of Pittsburgh Panthers and the West Virginia University Mountaineers. The term "Backyard Brawl" has also been used to refer to college basketball games played ...

loss to the

Pittsburgh Panthers The Pittsburgh Panthers, commonly also referred to as the Pitt Panthers, are the athletic teams representing the University of Pittsburgh, although the term is colloquially used to refer to other aspects of the university such as alumni, facu ...

, Sanders had 4 rushes for 37 yards and 2 receptions for 14 yards. Sanders then finished out the regular season with 24 yards rushing and 38 yards receiving as he started at running back for the first time in his career in the 13-7 win over the

South Florida Bulls The South Florida Bulls (also known as the USF Bulls) are the sport, athletic teams that represent the University of South Florida. USF competes in NCAA Division I and is a member of the American Athletic Conference for all sports besides sai ...

. He earned second-team All-

Big East The Big East Conference is a collegiate athletic conference that competes in NCAA Division I in ten men's sports and twelve women's sports. Headquartered in New York City, the eleven full-member schools are primarily located in Northeast and M ...

honors following the regular season-ending win. In the Meineke Car Care Bowl win over the

North Carolina Tar Heels The North Carolina Tar Heels are the intercollegiate athletic teams that represent the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. The name Tar Heel is a nickname used to refer to individuals from the state of North Carolina, the ''Tar Heel ...

, Sanders rushed 3 times for 10 yards and had 5 receptions for 70 yards. Sanders finished his sophomore season with 250 yards on 48 carries for 2 touchdowns and a team-leading 53 receptions for 462 yards and 7 touchdowns. He also had 136 yards on 10 returns - totaling 848 all-purpose yards.

Junior season

On February 10, 2009, Sanders was arrested in Morgantown on charges of

driving under the influence Driving under the influence (DUI)—also called driving while impaired, impaired driving, driving while intoxicated (DWI), drunk driving, operating while intoxicated (OWI), operating under the influence (OUI), operating vehicle under the infl ...

of alcohol. He was initially pulled over for speeding and crossing the center line, however it was found that his blood-alcohol level was 0.125, compared to the legal limit of 0.08. Head coach Bill Stewart suspended Sanders indefinitely pending the court case, because it was his second criminal incident in two years.

Senior season

With his first catch against the Pittsburgh Panthers on November 27, 2010, Sanders became the Mountaineers all-time leading receiver in catches with 192. He broke the record that was previously held by David Saunders (1995–98). In his Senior season, Mountaineer fans recognized him and WVU Running Back Noel devine as the top performers on the team.

Career statistics

Professional career

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Sanders was signed by the

as an

on July 27, 2011. He was put off the team for performing horribly .

BC Lions

On October 12, 2011, Sanders signed a practice roster agreement with the

Saskatchewan Roughriders

On May 23, 2012, Sanders signed a contract with the

. During the

2012 CFL season The 2012 CFL season was the 59th season of modern-day Canadian football. Officially, it was the 55th season for the Canadian Football League. The pre-season began on June 13, 2012, and the regular season started on June 29, 2012. Rogers Centre i ...

, Sanders was a versatile member of the Riders, dressing for nine games. Sanders was third among the Riders in all-purpose yards (975) and fourth in yards from scrimmage (393). He had 20 carries for 165 yards, 28 receptions for 228 yards and a touchdown, 22 punt returns for 243 yards, and 16 kickoff returns for 339 yards. Sanders injured his left knee during the third quarter of Saskatchewan's 13th regular season game. He didn't return to the active roster during the 2012 CFL season. In Sanders' second season with the Riders saw increased playing time at the kick and punt return positions. He returned 35 kickoffs and 64 punts on the season and scored a touchdown in the 2013 Grey Cup Championship game which was won by the Riders. Following the

2013 CFL season The 2013 CFL season was the 60th season of modern-day Canadian football. Officially, it was the 56th season of the Canadian Football League. The pre-season began on June 12, 2013 and the regular season began on June 27, 2013. Regina, Saskatchewa ...

, Sanders was not re-signed by the Riders.

Calgary Stampeders

On February 25, 2014, Sanders signed a contract with the

Ottawa Redblacks

On July 1, 2015, Sanders signed a contract with the

. He was released on August 10, 2015.

References

External links

Calgary Stampeders bio

West Virginia Mountaineers profile
{{DEFAULTSORT:Sanders, Jock 1988 births Living people Players of American football from St. Petersburg, Florida Players of Canadian football from St. Petersburg, Florida American football running backs American football wide receivers Canadian football running backs Canadian football slotbacks American players of Canadian football West Virginia Mountaineers football players Tampa Bay Buccaneers players BC Lions players Saskatchewan Roughriders players Calgary Stampeders players