ClutchPoints
On Monday, January 20th, Jack Sawyer finished out his Ohio State Buckeyes career in the most magical way.
A native son of Columbus, Ohio, who chose to stay home for his college education despite drawing interest from darn near every team in the nation, Sawyer played in 53 games for the Buckeyes over his tenure, including appearances in the Rose Bowl, the Peach Bowl, the Cotton Bowl, the Rose Bowl, again, the Cotton Bowl, again, and the 2025 College Football National Championship game, where he led the team to a huge 34-23 victory.
Taking the field right out of the gates as a rookie, the 6-foot-5, 260-pound edge finished out his career with 138 tackles, 20 sacks, 25.5. tackles for a loss, 11 passes defensed, six forced fumbles, and an interception as one of the most decorated players in program history.
Will Sawyer hold a place in the hearts of Buckeyes fans forever? Yes. Will he earn a hero’s welcome every time he returns to the Shoe, and potentially remain a fixture of the community for years to come? You bet, if Sawyer opens a steakhouse in Columbus – my pitch? Sawyer’s Steaks, duh – he will be shaking hands and kissing babies for the rest of his living days. But first, he needs to go to the 2025 NFL Draft, where he will find his new home in the professional football world.
But which team makes the most sense for Sawyer’s services? Well, according to PFF’s draft board, the pride of Columbus is the 22nd-ranked player in the 2025 class, with NFL Mock Draft Database’s consensus board having him noticeably lower at spot 37. So, if Sawyer could end up going to a playoff team at the end of the first round or a rebuilding team at the top of the second, where are the best landing spots for the former five-star prospect to land? Well, read on to find out.
Though it’s technically unclear where the Philadelphia Eagles’ first-round pick will land, be it as early as 29 or as late as 32, if Sawyer is still on the board, Howie Roseman should rush the card up to the podium, as the OSU edge might just be the most Vic Fangio player in the 2025 NFL Draft.
With one of Josh Sweat or Bryce Huff almost certainly gone heading into the 2025 NFL season, plus Brandon Graham’s retirement very much up in the air after losing the final third of his farewell season due to injury, the Eagles could be left with a scare light collection of edge rushers heading into the fall, with 2024 breakout star Nolan Smith locked in on one side, Sweat/Huff penciled in on the opposite side of the defensive line, and now-rookie third round pick Jalyx Hunt behind them as the relief rusher.
In the playoffs, a three-man rotation can work. Over a regular season, it simply can’t.
Enter Sawyer, who has fantastic...
