Football

EarnestSanders IV

  • position Wide Receiver
  • height 6-1
  • Weight 216
  • class Redshirt Sophomore
  • Hometown Beecher, Mich.
  • High school Beecher

2021 – r-Freshman

  • Practiced with the team

2020 – Freshman

  • Redshirt season
  • Saw his first collegiate action at Auburn and also saw action vs. Vanderbilt
  • 2020-21 First-Year SEC Academic Honor Roll

High School

  • Explosive, all-round athlete who excelled in football, basketball and track
  • One of the top 20 recruits in Michigan as evaluated by ESPN and 247sports
  • Also one of the nation’s top-100 wide receivers by the same two services
  • First-team all-state as a senior by The Associated Press and Detroit News after catching 19 passes for 522 yards and seven touchdowns
  • Also first-team all-state as a junior when he caught 42 passes for 1,047 yards and 15 touchdowns, rushed for six touchdowns, returned two kickoffs and one punt for TDs
  • A four-year starter who helped lead Beecher HS to state playoff berths each of his last two seasons
  • Coached by Courtney Hawkins
  • Also a two-time all-state basketball player as a junior and senior
  • Averaged a double-double in 2019 with 15.5 points and 10.2 rebounds per game … Added 3.3 assists and 3.3 steals per game
  • Averaged 17.5 points and 11 rebounds per game for a team that advanced to the final eight of the state tourney
  • Candidate for Michigan Mr. Basketball
  • Competed in the 200-meter dash, high jump and long jump for the track team, earning All-State honors
  • Chose Kentucky over Michigan State

Personal

  • Born in Flint, Michigan
  • Son of Danielle Kelly and Ernest Sanders III
  • His seven siblings are JaQualyn Kelly, Malik Wilbanks, Jacoby Sanders, Emiyah Sanders, Jamari Sanders, Emelia Sanders and JaCaylah Sanders
  • Father, Earnest, played football as a strong safety at Michigan (1993-95)
  • Major is pre-communication

Ernest Says

  • His nickname is “E”
  • He chose Kentucky because it felt like home and UK was a place he could better himself as a person and as a student-athlete
  • Three words to describe him are fun, cool, and loving
  • One thing most people may not know about him is that he can’t swim
  • After football his dream is to be his own boss and run his own business
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