Carolina Panthers rookie tight end Ja’Tavion Sanders seems to enjoy playing with quarterback Bryce Young. While talking to the media on Monday, the former Texas Longhorns star opened up about his relationship with Young ahead of the 2024 season.

“It’s been going good. Since I’ve been taking reps with the [first team offense], me and him starting to get real closer,” Sanders said about the former Alabama Crimson Tide star. “I think we’re building something special here.”

Sanders, 21, was selected by the Panthers in the fourth round of this year’s draft. He joins the Panthers after being named to the All-Big 12 First Team in his last two seasons at Texas. Sanders played tight end at Texas but can be used as a wide receiver if needed.

“I was a receiver in high school so I’m kind of advanced as far as my receiving goes. And I feel like the tight ends in this draft class, we’re the new age tight ends,” Sanders said in April, per the Panthers’ official website. ” Guys like (Travis) Kelce and (Geroge) Kittle and (T.J.) Hockinson, they’re the guys who started the new tight end age, but guys like me and Brock (Bowers), Cade (Stover) and Jared Wiley, guys like that, we’re the new age tight ends, that bring more the receiving ability to the tight end position.”

Sanders has been working with the first-time offense since other tight ends on the roster have been dealing with injuries. Panthers head coach Dave Canales has enjoyed watching Sanders’ growth during camp.

Ja’Tavion Sanders ‘making the most of his opportunity’

“It’s exponential growth, every day,” Canales said on Saturday, per Panthers Wire. “What I’ve seen him do is just kinda really take big leaps in the techniques. And you’ll see that with young guys. You’ll see big leaps, and then you wanna get them to the point where it’s consistent. And then we take our incremental growth—just like some of the veteran guys who have been around.

“So JT is taking those steps that we’re looking for. Made a big play at Fan Fest to end it, to end the scrimmage on a corner. Had a couple nice plays today, nice catches. He’s doin’ it. He’s making the most of his opportunity. It’s pushed him right up with that first group, to be able to show the guys you can count on him and he’s been really dependable with that.”