Cleveland, OH

Why 2025 five-star offensive tackle David Sanders Jr. chose Tennessee over Ohio State

Published

2 years ago

August 17, 2024

Why 2025 five-star offensive tackle David Sanders Jr. chose Tennessee over Ohio State

CHARLOTTE, N.C. — As “Rocky Top” blared from the speakers in the gym at Providence Day School, David Sanders Jr. sat and smiled as a host of reporters scurried to ask him questions.

In the previous five minutes, he had cried, laughed and exhaled. His college decision was finally set, and he could relax.

Sanders chose Tennessee over Ohio State, Nebraska and Georgia on Saturday afternoon, ending a months-long pursuit by the Buckeyes. Unfortunately for Ohio State, though, Sanders is headed to Rocky Top as the 2025 class is now in flux without any clear-cut options set to replace his spot.

The decision wasn’t easy for Sanders to make. There were thoughts that location was important for the Charlotte-native — Knoxville, Tennessee, is about a 3 1/2 hour drive, compared to Columbus, which is about a seven hour drive.

Sanders, though, squashed that on Saturday and gave a glimpse of how tantalizingly close the Buckeyes were to landing the No. 2 overall prospect, and No. 1 offensive tackle, in the 2025 class.

“A little bit, but Ohio State was — I swear — right there,” Sanders said. “Ohio State, it wouldn’t have mattered that it was cold. I was almost there.”

Sanders also credited Ohio State for the job it did recruiting him, noting that it was a very tough decision for him to decide between his first and second schools.

“Everything,” Sanders said of what stood out about the Buckeyes. “Their development. They did a phenomenal job recruiting me. That was a hard decision between one and two.”

While Sanders was going through the process, he relied on NBA forward and current Charlotte Hornet Grant Williams for guidance. Williams also attended Providence Day School and, like Sanders is about to do, attended Tennessee. The two have known each other since Sanders was in middle school.

Williams, the 2019 first-round draft pick of the Boston Celtics, told him about the recruiting process and the business aspect of things. He and Sanders talked about his clothing line months ago.

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As for NIL, while Williams wasn’t in college for that time of college athletics, he was able to offer guidance as to what was coming for him.

“I told him it’s going to be something you’ve never experienced in your life,” Williams said. “Both enjoy it, and be mindful. You’re there for a reason. You’re there to accomplish something. Those three years can be great, fun years, but your goal is to make it further down the line … He’s a special kid.”

In the end, though, Sanders felt that the Volunteers did just a bit more than anyone else — the Buckeyes included.

“The personal feel,” Sanders said. “I feel like Tennessee had been recruiting me a little bit harder and longer than Ohio State. I felt at home more at Tennessee than I did Ohio State.”

A visit to Knoxville on the last weekend of July made his decision official, though he says he felt it from the time he took his official visit, as Ohio State’s most painful miss of the cycle came to fruition on Saturday.

“That solidified it for me,” Sanders said of the latest visit. “When I went there again, I thought, ‘I can’t wait any longer. I just got it done.’”

Wherever he went, he felt that he had the chance to start right away if he does the right things. The same goes for his team competing in the College Football Playoff.

And in a remarkably close decision, Sanders felt the Volunteers edged out the Buckeyes.

“I figure as long as I did what I had to do, I had a chance to start wherever I went,” Sanders said. “Tennessee definitely showed me clear cut, ‘As long as you do what you gotta do, you’re going to be our guy.’”

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Cleveland, OH

Corps of Engineers Awards Contract to Dredge Cleveland Harbor in 2026

Published

5 hours ago

April 14, 2026

Press Room

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Buffalo District awarded an $11.7 million contract to New York-based DMYLES, Inc. on April 9 to conduct dredging of the federal navigation channel in Cleveland Harbor twice this year.

Dredging of harbors like Cleveland’s ensures accessible depths for large vessels, the continued flow of commodities across the Great Lakes, and nearly $789 million in business revenue and labor income for the region.

Approximately 250,000 cubic yards of sediment are planned to be dredged from the upper Cuyahoga River from May 15 through June 30 and from Oct. 1 through Nov. 30, 2026. Sediment will be beneficially used through upland processing and placed in a confined disposal facility.

Dredging of Cleveland Harbor is conducted annually by USACE, based on need and the availability of funding. The harbor was last dredged in 2025, with 255,651 cubic yards of sediments removed.

Cleveland Harbor is a deep draft commercial harbor which handled 13.8 million tons of cargo, including iron ore (64%), limestone (16%) and salt (9%) in 2023. Waterborne transportation facilitated by the harbor supports $646.1 million in business revenue, 2,329 direct, indirect, and induced jobs, and $142.6 million in labor income to the transportation sector.

Operation, maintenance and dredging of harbors like Cleveland by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers is critical to the economy of Ohio, the Great Lakes region, and the United States.

Photos are available at: https://www.flickr.com/photos/buffalousace/albums/72177720316257661/

The Buffalo District delivers world class engineering solutions to the Great Lakes Region, the Army and the Nation to ensure national security, environmental sustainability, water resource management, and emergency assistance during peace and war. Learn more at www.lrd.usace.army.mil/buffalo.

For 250 years, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers has been at the forefront of the nation’s engineering excellence, responding when called. From constructing fortifications during the Revolutionary War, to building the infrastructure that saw America’s strength grow militarily and economically, USACE’s mission has always been to deliver engineering solutions for our nation’s toughest challenges. Learn more about the USACE 250th anniversary at http://www.usace.army.mil/Home/250th.

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Cleveland, OH

TRACKING: Rounds of thunderstorms and downpours

Published

18 hours ago

April 14, 2026

Press Room

TRACKING: Rounds of thunderstorms and downpours

CLEVELAND (WJW) – A weakening cluster of thunderstorms will move across the area late tonight. Some small hail and gusty winds are possible in a few thunderstorms. Most of the rain and thunderstorms will move out by 1-2 a.m.

Temperatures will only drop into the lower 60s Monday night, which is warmer than the average high for this time of year.

This stretch of unsettled weather will continue through Thursday. Clusters and complexes of downpours and storms will fire up a slow-moving front across Midwest this week. These clusters will impact Northeast Ohio at times Monday night through Thursday.

One of the wetter and stormier days this week will be Tuesday. A cluster of downpours and storms will drop south across the area around or just after midday. Depending on the rain and cloud coverage in the morning, a few strong storms will be possible Tuesday afternoon/evening. With a line of storms expected, the main threat will be strong to damaging wind gusts. Here’s Tuesday’s Futurecast:

Tuesday will be another unseasonably warm spring day, with high temperatures once again well above 70 degrees. The clouds and rain may impact Tuesday’s highs.

The unseasonably warm spring weather will continue through the start of the upcoming weekend. The next cool down will not come until the end of the weekend.