Scouting Profile: Jack Sawyer - EDGE - Ohio State
Sales Pitch: Thick powerful EDGE rusher fresh off a historic playoff run. Below average athleticism and length limits his ceiling to just being a quality starter.
*Gold Numbers Indicate NCAA T-25 for 2024*
Scouting Report
Jack Sawyer is a former 5-Star from the state of Ohio, where he was a standout basketball and football player and the crown jewel of the Buckeyes 2021 recruiting class. A 4-year contributor, Sawyer started his last 29 games for the Buckeyes, receiving All-Big 10 honors in three straight seasons. He capped off an illustrious college career with one of the best playoff runs in recent memory on the way to a National Title.
Sawyer is a thickly built edge with a sawed off frame and tremendous power. A leader for the Buckeyes defense he plays with an air of aggression and effort that rubs off on other players. He has a knack for splash plays, forcing 3 fumbles and batting 6 passes in 2024. Sawyer primarily as a rusher with power. He has quick accurate hands to grab linemen’s wrists and prevent them from stalling his rush off the line. He displays a good bull-rush and long arm to win from wide and condensed alignments. His power and effort to collapse pockets resulted in career high pressures and sacks this past year. Sawyer is an excellent run defender with a wide base and strong anchor to hold his ground on the edge. He is eager to take the fight to blockers and squeeze his gap. He has the requisite quickness to leverage his gap when moving laterally versus reach blocks. He is also a smart run defender, who is quick to disengage and fall back into the hole and tackle ball carriers.
Sawyer was an excellent college player, but his physical limitations create a lower pro ceiling. He has extremely short arms (3rd percentile for an EDGE) and is a below average athlete. Sawyer’s lack of explosion out of his stance allows tackles to beat him to the spot when trying to work upfield. He lacks the twitch or flexibility to win with speed and bend into the pocket. If he does not get quick wins he struggles to counter later in reps as longer linemen are able to swallow him up. As a run defender Sawyer will likely be limited to even front single gap schemes. He lacks the redirect ability to play out in space versus the run or in coverage. Backs are able to beat him to the edge when he is forced to chase horizontally and he struggles to drop his hips and tackle even when he cuts them off. Sawyer’s lack of length also prevents him from playing in two-gap schemes. He cannot lock out and control lineman on a consistently basis to man multiple assignments.
Sawyer profiles best as a big end in an even front. His power, run defense and experience will translate immediately, but his lack of twitch and bend limit his rush ceiling. Sawyer projects as a Top-10 pick who can be a quick starter up front, but lacks much upside.