College football is about talent acquisition. Get better players, you win. Those recruiting stars matter. Well, most of the time. There are plenty of examples of quality players flying under the radar, hard at work preparing for their chance.

Coming out of high school, Giovanni Sanders was a no-star recruit. That's right. Zero. But he knew he was capable of big things, so after a year at Dixie State (now Utah Tech), he bet on himself and went to a junior college, aiming to catch the attention of FBS schools. That led to a walk-on opportunity at Arizona State, where he put in the work, refined his craft, and waiting his turn.

When that chance came, Sanders was ready. He became a reliable playmaker for the Sun Devils last season, finishing second on the team in receptions and receiving yards while showing a Gary Chambers-like knack for always moving the chains. As one of the veterans on offense, Sanders is primed to cap his career in a major way.

In this episode, we discuss the hard road to Tempe and the lessons learned along the way, betting on yourself, the reinvigorated vibe around the program, the 2023 receivers, and more.