Fact Check: Is Miles Sanders related to Barry Sanders?
Miles Sanders, the 26-year-old running back originally from the Penn State Nittany Lions, has shown to be a force on the football field. He was drafted in the 2019 NFL draft in the second round with the 53rd overall pick by the Philadelphia Eagles. After completing his rookie contract, he signed with the Carolina Panthers in free agency ahead of the 2023 NFL season.
Is Miles Sanders related to the Pro Football Hall of Famer Barry Sanders, one of the best running backs we have ever seen? The answer is no.
Despite sharing the same last name, the two are not related. At last year's Super Bowl opening night, Miles was asked about Barry and said he was a massive fan, but he retired when the younger running back was just two years old.
Barry was a force on the field and was exceptional, even when playing his college ball at Oklahoma State.
How dominant of a college player was Miles Sanders?
Many people became familiar with Miles Sanders during last year's Super Bowl run with the Philadelphia Eagles. However, he had an incredible performance from 2016 to 2018 with the Penn State Nittany Lions.
He finished his three-year collegiate career with 275 rushing attempts for 1,649 yards (6.0 yards per carry) with 12 rushing touchdowns. Sanders also developed into a better pass-catching back throughout his time, with 32 receptions for 193 yards (6.0 yards per catch) and a receiving touchdown.
Despite not being used much after his freshman season, Sanders also developed a knack for kickoff returns. He finished with 38 returns for 764 yards (20.1 yards per return) but could not return one for a touchdown. Sanders was used to not getting off the field throughout his junior season with the Nittany Lions as the running back was third in the Big Ten Conference in plays from scrimmage and yards from scrimmage.
Sanders proved himself to be more than a five-foot, 11-inch running back that can be used in certain packages. He became a versatile threat in any offense that proved helpful in multiple scenarios for the team.