Eli Sanders

Photo by: KL6PHOTO LLC.

Photo by: KL6PHOTO LLC.

Photo by: KL6PHOTO LLC.

Position:
Running Back
Height:
6-0
Weight:
205
Class:
Redshirt Sophomore
Hometown:
Oceanside, Calif.
High School:
Chandler (Ariz.)

Awards & Honors
Academic All-Big 12 First Team (2023)
Big 12 Commissioner's Honor Roll (S22, F22, S23, F23)

2023
Saw action in nine games before transferring ... made six starts ... finished second on team with 477 rushing yards and four rushing touchdowns ... averaged 4.7 yards per carry ... also had five receptions for 43 yards and one touchdown reception ... had a season-high 99 rushing yards on 16 carries against TCU, scoring on a four-yard run ... scored first career touchdown in win against Oklahoma State, a seven-yard run ... finished with 58 rushing yards against the Cowboys ... carried 14 times for 90 yards against Baylor ... had first career touchdown reception against Texas, a 14-yard reception on a pass from Rocco Becht ... finished Cyclone career playing in 21 career games, tallying 703 rushing yards and 135 receiving yards.

2022
Played in eight games ... had 47 carries for 197 yards ... caught seven passes for 51 yards ... rushed seven times for a career-high 91 yards in the season finale against TCU ... had 24 yards on the ground and caught two passes for 25 yards against Texas Tech.

2021
Played in four games before securing a redshirt … had nine rushes for 29 yards, averaging 3.2 yards per carry … posted three receptions for 41 yards … against Iowa, hauled in three receptions for 41 yards … had three carries for four yards vs. UNLV and rushed four times for 23 yards, both career highs, vs. Kansas.

High School
Chose Iowa State over Iowa, Arizona, Arizona State and Boise State … four-star recruit by Rivals and a three-star by 247Sports … ranked as the No. 32 running back nationally and seventh-best player in Arizona by Rivals … picked as the No. 34 athlete nationally by 247Sports … first team all-state selection in 2020 … led team to a state title and perfect season (10-0) as a senior … ran for 1,377 yards, averaging 7.5 yards per carry … also had team-high 23 touchdowns … finalist for the 2020 Ed Doherty Award … grew up in California ... competed four seasons in Arizona, playing two years at Mountain Pointe before transferring to Chandler as a junior … despite missing the first half of the season because of transfer rules, rushed for 643 yards and 10 touchdowns as a junior to lead team to state championship … had 878 rushing yards and 11 total touchdowns as a sophomore … member of a pair of 4X100 state champion relay teams (2019, 2021) ... coached by Rick Garretson.

Personal
Majoring in communications studies.