Heading into the 2025 NFL Draft, South Carolina running back Raheim Sanders was viewed as a possible Day 3 selection after a solid senior season for the Gamecocks, rushing for 881 yards and 11 touchdowns and adding another 316 yards and two scores on 27 receptions.
But given the immensely deep class of players at the position, the Second Team All-SEC selection ultimately never heard his name called. It didn't take long for Sanders to find a home, however, as he was quickly signed by the Los Angeles Chargers, with general manager Joe Hortiz later saying that the Florida native was one of the team's biggest priorities following the draft.
Aptly nicknamed "Rocket" due to his blistering speed (he ran a 4.46 40 at the combine), Sanders is seen as someone who should be in the mix for a spot on the Chargers' 53-man roster, competing with Hassan Haskins and Kimani Vidal to be the third option at running back behind veteran Najee Harris and first-round draft pick Omarion Hampton.
But Sanders may have already suffered a little setback, as he was notably absent from the Chargers' second day of full practice on Friday.
RB Raheim Sanders also not practicing today. QB Taylor Heinicke is back. https://t.co/EDom4p9lKE
— Daniel Popper (@danielrpopper) July 18, 2025
And given his past history of injuries, Bolts fans are naturally concerned.
Raheim Sanders missed significant time in 2023 with multiple injuries
For those who may not be overly familiar with Sanders, he began his collegiate career at Arkansas, spending three seasons with the Razorbacks.
After a solid freshman season in which he rushed for 578 yards, he broke out something fierce as a sophomore in 2022, rushing for 1,443 yards while averaging a conference-best 6.5 yards per carry and adding 271 yards and two touchdowns as a receiver on 28 receptions, thus earning First-Team All-SEC honors.
The 2023 campaign, however, didn't go nearly as smoothly, as Sanders appeared in just six games and gained just 284 total yards from scrimmage. A knee injury hindered him early in the year, but once he got past that, he suffered a shoulder injury that was much more severe.
So severe, in fact, that it required what's known as the Latarjet procedure, a complex surgery involving a bone graft and muscle/tendon transfer to repair chronic and severe dislocations.
Having already decided to hit the transfer portal, Sanders hit his rehab hard, which obviously paid off, given the aforementioned numbers he put up for South Carolina last season. But again, sitting out the second day of practice for the Chargers isn't the best look for someone with his history, especially when no real reason was given for his absence.
So, we'll just have continue to monitor the situation as camp progresses.