Jack Sawyer, EDGE, Ohio State
Size:
Height: 6042
Weight: 260
Arm: 31 ¾”
Hand: 9 ¾”
Accomplishments:
All-Big Ten Honorable Mention (2023, 2022) • Five-star recruit
“Jack Sawyer is a tough and smart player against the run while using his power to collapse pockets and move quarterbacks off their spot as a pass rusher.”
Strengths:
Football IQ
High effort
Speed to power
Straight-line athlete
Hand usage
Concerns:
Lateral agility
Cornering
Pass-rush plan
Film Analysis:
Jack Sawyer saw his production rise yearly at Ohio State as the leading sack-getter in 2023 with 6.5. Listed at 6-foot-5 and 260 pounds, Sawyer is an imposing EDGE defender who watched as teams ran away from his side of the field in many games. He has a good blend of size, get-off, and power to give offensive lines trouble when he gets a head of steam. Sawyer returns to Ohio State as a senior to continue making yearly strides and hopefully reach double-digit sacks.
Sawyer does an excellent job locating the football, being patient as play-action unfolds, and then attacking. He tackles excellently when he closes on the ball-carrier and rarely misses. He understands when he has help from outside defenders and uses that to knife into gaps and blow up plays and shows no issues taking on pullers. He condenses well and sets a hard edge while being able to wrong-arm if he has the support. Using a well-timed first step, Sawyer generates speed to power and collapses tackles into the quarterback. He uses an effective two-hand swipe as his go-to move around the outside and closes space quickly when free.
His ability against double teams or reduce inside and play with more versatility is inconsistent, as his ability to hunker down and anchor needs work. From a pass-rush perspective, his tool bag is limited to a heavy rotation of two-hand swipe, speed to power, and a slap-rip combination, and when his first move is ineffective, his counter plan needs work. His athleticism and ankle flexion limit his ability to corner and truly stress the arc.
Overall, Sawyer is a great run defender who shows flashes as a pass rusher but still needs some refinement to reach his potential. His ability to impact on early downs will make him a valuable rotational piece in the NFL.
Prospect Projection: Day 2 — Adequate Starter
Written By: Daniel Harms
