Sanders wants to prove he’s more than just a ‘ball hawk’

Dominick Sanders knows he is well within reach of being Georgia’s all-time interceptions holder.

In three seasons, Sanders has recorded 12 picks. The program record is 16, set by Jake Scott (1967-68) and later tied by Bacarri Rambo (2009-12). Sanders is one interception away from creating a five-way tie for fifth place. Among the former Georgia players Sanders would tie is Kirby Smart, who is now the Bulldogs’ head coach.

The two once spoke about the potential for Sanders to eventually move past Smart in the record books.

“I feel like he was my big brother,” Sanders said, recalling the conversation. “He said, ‘You’ll beat it, but if you beat it, I’ve got something for you.’ But I don’t want to focus on it because that time will come. My main thing is I’ve got to stay focused on what I gotta do. I can’t have my vision on beating something. It was good to have that laugh with him and see that I have a chance to break a record — not just his, but set a school record.”

Smart has been critical of the secondary as a whole of late.

But Sanders said it has all been “good talk,” with a lot of it having to do with the fact Smart played safety in college.

“It’s fun to have a coach who actually played the same position you play,” Sanders said. “He actually gives you feedback of how it was when he was here and how he played and studied the game.”

Entering his final season, Sanders isn’t placing much attention on personal accolades or achievements. He said he is more interested in being a leader on what he hopes will be “the toughest, most physical secondary in the SEC and in the country.”

Sanders endured an injury-filled 2016 season but still managed to compete in every game. He finished with three interceptions and 34 total tackles.

What Sanders surely hopes for is a return to his 2015 form, which saw the Tucker native record six picks while setting a school record of 205 interception return yards.

Even so, there is more Sanders said that can be improved upon.

“I just don’t want to be known as a ball hawk,” he said. “I want to be known as a leader, a guy who is flying around and making plays on the back end, showing young guys how to be a big brother.”

In helping his underclassman teammates, Sanders stepped out of his comfort zone to show a more vocal presence.

Junior inside linebacker Roquan Smith said this change during time has been beneficial for the defense.

“Dom has been stepping up as a lately,” Smith said. “I’m very impressed with what he’s doing. … He’s always been leading by example, but he’s more vocal now. That’s always big.”

Sanders was among the Georgia players deciding whether to return for his senior season or to enter the NFL draft after the 2016 season. Ultimately, Sanders felt there were team-oriented goals left to accomplish at Georgia. Among those, naturally, would be competing for an SEC championship and a College Football Playoff berth.

Friends and family often tell Sanders, an All-SEC second-team selection, what they want to see from him during his senior season.

While he isn’t necessarily aiming to break records, Sanders did say he is planning to perform at a high level.

“A lot of people say they want me to have this or that, and I say, ‘Look, if it comes my way I’m going to get it because I’m playing receiver back there this year,’ ” Sanders said.

This story was originally published August 14, 2017 at 6:59 PM with the headline "Sanders wants to prove he’s more than just a ‘ball hawk’."