The third-straight meeting between Texas juggernauts North Shore and Duncanville in the 6A Division I State Championship wasn’t lacking in storylines.

Chief among them, perhaps, was the matchup of five-star talent between Dave Campbell’s Texas Football’s top two recruits in the Class of 2025: North Shore’s five-star defensive back Devin Sanchez vs. Duncanville five-star wide receiver Dakorien Moore.

“[Dakorien] is the No. 1 receiver in the nation,” Sanchez said. “It’s always good when the No. 1 receiver and No. 1 defensive back go at it.”

They each had their moments individually, and Duncanville took home bragging rights for the second straight season. But it's matchups like this that push Sanchez to become the best he can be. It’s truly iron sharpening iron.

“People think me and Dakorien hate each other; it’s the opposite,” Sanchez said. “Why would the No. 1 and 2 players from Texas hate each other? It’s just me versus him for 48 minutes getting better. That’s what we’ve done these past couple years; get better and push each other because the ultimate goal is to get better and play at the next level.”

The 6-foot-2, 170-pound cornerback committed to Ohio State on Jan. 6. Despite earning his first offer during his freshman year, he didn’t come into high school thinking he was going to be big time. 

It took him a year or two to realize what football was really about. From being a freshman on North Shore’s 2021 state championship team to starting as a sophomore, he attributes a lot of his development and knowledge of the game to the players who came before him.

“I learned a lot from the guys above me,” Sanchez said. “Watching Denver Harris on defense and how to handle yourself taught me a lot. My sophomore year I played with Jacoby Davis and Jayven Anderson while they were seniors, and now they’re at college.”

Those experiences playing with guys who made the jump to the next level have helped Sanchez stay humble and level-headed. 

That’s exactly why he doesn’t let the offers go to his head. He knows that at the end of the day, he’s just a regular football player like his teammates.

“I have to put my jersey on the same way my teammates do,” Sanchez said. “I have to go play the same way. I have to listen to the coverages our coaches tell us.”

That mentality is a big reason why Sanchez is listed as the No. 2 player in Texas (behind Moore). 

With offers from virtually every powerhouse in the country, he points towards his parents as a big part of why he decided to commit to the Buckeyes. His parents already have experience at the next level. His father, Daniel, played football at UTEP while his mother, Deetra, ran the 200 and 400-meter events at UTEP.

“A lot of people don’t realize that my parents played a big part in my recruitment,” Sanchez said. “Some people take their parents for granted because they play a big part in your journey.”

While the next step in his journey is still a ways away, Sanchez has a clear vision for how he wants it to go.

“I want to enroll early and jump in there right away,” Sanchez said. “I’m already doing stuff [Ohio State] does now, so I’ll have a head start on guys who come in later. Playing those hard three years and getting to the league is the ultimate goal.”

His advice for younger players is to put their head down and keep a full head of steam. He said to not let your head get too big if you get an offer, because that offer can be taken away at any moment.

In spite of using his own advice throughout his journey, one thing Sanchez said he wished he knew more about was the business of recruiting.

“I wish I knew that coaches never stay at the school they’re at,” Sanchez said. “The majority of my offers are from coaches that aren’t even at those schools anymore.”

Heading into his senior year, he knows the ultimate goal is to win another state championship where Moore and Duncanville could be waiting on the other sideline.