Ohio State Overview
• Named a captain for the 2019 Buckeyes, the first walk-on to each the honor since Joe Berger in 2016.
• Unfortunately saw his season cut short due to injury.
• After initially walking on to the team as a cornerback, made the switch to wide receiver and eventually earned a scholarship in the spring of 2017
• Was Ohio State’s nominee for the Burlsworth Trophy, which is given annually to the most outstanding player in America who began his career as a walk-on
• Played in 11 games during the 2018 season
• A veteran of 23 games with 27 receptions for 294 yards and one touchdown
• Returned eight punts and two kickoffs in 2018
• Enjoyed a breakthrough 2017 campaign that included 17 catches for 221 yards – an average of 20.1 yards per catch
• Played cornerback his first year with the team, and even intercepted a Joe Burrow pass in fall camp of 2016
• He caught passes in eight different games with career highs of six receptions and 102 receiving yards vs. UNLV in 2017
• Long reception was 50 yards, also vs. UNLV
• Is an OSU Scholar-Athlete and an Academic All-Big Ten honoree who was enrolled in the Fisher School of Business while working on his degree in accounting
Honors & Awards
2020: Big Ten Distinguished Scholar
2019: Graduated in May with his degree in accounting
Burlsworth Trophy nominee
Academic All-Big Ten and OSU Scholar-Athlete
Voted a team captain
2018: Academic All-Big Ten, OSU Scholar-Athlete
2017: Academic All-Big Ten, OSU Scholar-Athlete
2016: OSU Scholar-Athlete
More on CJ
• Was a three-sport standout at Coffman High School, lettering twice in football and earning three letters apiece in the sports of baseball and basketball
• Earned all-conference and all-district honors in all three sports and was a team captain for all three
• Caught 39 passes for 522 yards and six touchdowns for an unbeaten Shamrocks team, coached by Mark Crabtree, that won the Ohio Capital Conference Central Division
• Averaged 9.3 points, 5.0 assists, 3.9 rebounds and 3.0 steals for the Coffman basketball team that finished 22-2 and also won a conference championship
A Family Full of Athletes … And Teachers
• Is the son of Janie and Tim Saunders, both of whom are school teachers, and his dad is coach of the Coffman baseball team
• Mom was a three-time All-America swimmer (once at Tennessee and two times at Indiana)
• Has one sister, Shelby, who attends Indiana