Jack
Sawyer.
Jack
Sawyer.
Ohio St.· 6'4"· 260 lb
"Sawyer is an explosive, bend-first edge rusher with a quick first step and an arsenal of pass-rush moves, whose ability to consistently convert speed to power will determine his NFL ceiling."Pre-draft read
Sawyer is a technician who wins with hands, plan and effort rather than with elite burst. He strings moves together, converts speed to power against tackles who oversell the arc, and is genuinely stout setting the edge against the run, which is why Ohio State never took him off the field on early downs.
The explosive traits are the concern. He is a good athlete, not a special one, and he did not test outside of the bench press at the Combine. He wins with the second and third move more often than the first, and against NFL tackles who do not lose early, he can end up in a lot of long, unproductive rushes. His best football comes from relentlessness and situational awareness.
Jack Sawyer is best suited for a 3-4 two-gap scheme, leveraging his power to control the line of scrimmage and fill gaps effectively.
Year 1 rotational 3-4 defensive end, with the ceiling to develop into a full-time starter who can consistently set the edge against the run.
He would be a poor fit in a wide-9 attacking front due to his limited burst as a pass rusher.
His impressive play strength and run defense make him an asset in schemes prioritizing gap integrity and power at the point of attack.
NFL DRAFT HIGHLIGHTS: DE Jack Sawyer | Ohio State Football
Game film cut-up of Jack Sawyer's Ohio St. tape.
Jack Sawyer | Ohio State 2024 Season Highlights
Game film cut-up of Jack Sawyer's Ohio St. tape.
JACK SAWYER Strip Sack 6 (cinematic) | Ohio State vs Texas goal line stand
Game film cut-up of Jack Sawyer's Ohio St. tape.
Sawyer was a five-star recruit who stayed four years, turned down the transfer portal, and finished his Ohio State career as a champion: 144 tackles, 29 for loss, 23 sacks and six forced fumbles, with a career-defining 83-yard strip-sack return touchdown in the Cotton Bowl semifinal that made him a permanent part of Buckeye lore. He was twice second-team All-Big Ten.
The evaluation is about what kind of NFL player that production makes him. He is 6-4 and 260 pounds with 31.75-inch arms, and he chose to test only the bench at the Combine, which left the athletic profile an open question. On tape he is a complete, high-floor edge defender: hard, disciplined edge setting, real hand technique, a genuine plan on every rush, and effort that produces sacks nobody schemed for.
The projection is a Day 3 rotational edge who plays 400 snaps as a rookie because he can be trusted against the run, then wins a starting job if the pass-rush win rate holds up against professional tackles. The ceiling is an eight-sack starter and a defensive-line room leader. The floor is a run-down specialist and third rusher. Very little bust risk, a modest ceiling.
- 01
Advanced Hands
Player demonstrates advanced hand usage and a clear rush plan, stringing counters together effectively.
- 02
Disciplined Edge
He sets a hard, disciplined edge against the run and consistently maintains contain.
- 03
Productive Career
Produced consistently for four years at Ohio State, recording 23 sacks and 29 tackles for loss.
- 04
Relentless Motor
His motor is relentless, converting coverage sacks and back-side chases into productive plays.
- 05
Ball Disruption
Shows instincts for ball disruption, with six career forced fumbles, including a key title-run play.
- 01
First Step
His first step is good but not explosive, rarely winning the corner with pure speed.
- 02
Arm Length
Arms under 32 inches limit his ability to keep offensive tackles off his frame.
- 03
Unresolved Athlete
Declined to run or jump at the Combine, leaving his athletic profile officially unresolved.
- 04
Late Wins
Wins late in reps, which results in fewer clean pressures against NFL-caliber offensive tackles.
— — — positional median (p50)
- 40 yd
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- Vertical
- —in
- Broad jump
- —in
- Three-cone
- —s
- Shuttle
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- Bench
- 21repp50
| Yr | Team | G | Tkl | Sk | Int | PD | FF |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 | Ohio State | 12 | 13 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| 2022 | Ohio State | 13 | 23 | 4.5 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| 2023 | Ohio State | 13 | 48 | 6.5 | 0 | 2 | 0 |
| 2024 | Ohio State | 16 | 59 | 9 | 1 | 6 | 0 |
| Career | — | 54 | 144 | 23 | 1 | 10 | 6 |
A dash means the figure is not published by a source we trust — never a zero we invented.
Honors
- CFP National Champion (2024)
- Second-team All-Big Ten (2023, 2024)
- Cotton Bowl Defensive MVP (2025)
Rotational third rusher with real run-defense value who takes 400 to 500 snaps a year.
Technique-first edge defender who developed into a reliable double-digit sack starter.
High-effort edge whose lack of explosive traits keeps him a depth and special-teams piece.
Everything above is the pre-draft evaluation. This section is what actually happened — updated year over year.
Pittsburgh is the perfect landing spot and the reason the box score looks quiet. Sawyer dressed for all 17 games with one start as a rookie behind T.J. Watt, splitting reps with DeMarvin Leal, and produced 34 tackles, a sack, three tackles for loss, two interceptions and four pass breakups, then added a sack and a forced fumble in the playoffs.
Two interceptions and four pass breakups from a rotational edge is unusual and speaks to exactly the awareness that showed up on his Ohio State tape. The single sack is the honest counterpoint: without explosive first-step traits, the pressure did not convert on limited snaps against professional tackles. Year one confirmed the floor and left the ceiling untested, which is what a backup year behind an All-Pro looks like. The playoff strip-sack is a reminder that his best plays still arrive when the moment is biggest.