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Ohio State DE Jack Sawyer selected by Pittsburgh Steelers in fourth round of 2025 NFL Draft

Spencer-Holbrookby:Spencer Holbrook•04/26/25•

SpencerHolbrook

Sawyer
Ohio State DE Jack Sawyer (© Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images)

COLUMBUS — Ohio State defensive end Jack Sawyer will always be a legend for his performance in helping the Buckeyes win the national championship last season. Now he’s entering the NFL with a chance to be a star in a new city.

The former Buckeyes star defensive end and national champion was selected by the Pittsburgh Steelers at No. 123 overall in the fourth round of the 2025 NFL Draft on Saturday.

He’s the 10th Buckeyes player to be selected in this draft.

Sawyer finished his career at Ohio State with 144 combined tackles, 29 tackles for loss and 23 sacks — including nine sacks for the Buckeyes last season.

Jack Sawyer contributed to the Ohio State defense immediately as a freshman and played all four seasons he was on campus for the Buckeyes. He and fellow five-star defensive end from the 2021 recruiting class J.T. Tuimoloau were cornerstones of the Ohio State defensive renaissance during the last few years.

His best moment, though, came in January when he strip-sacked Texas quarterback Quinn Ewers and ran the ball back 83 yards for the game-clinching touchdown that won Ohio State the Cotton Bowl semifinal of the College Football Playoff and sent them to the national title game — which they won over Notre Dame 10 days later.

Sawyer now has a new challenge ahead of him: he’s heading to Pittsburgh to help bolster the Steelers defensive line and become a defensive cornerstone at the next level like he was at Ohio State.

Four Buckeyes selected in first round of 2025 NFL Draft

Ohio State had four players selected in the first round of the NFL Draft. Wide receiver Emeka Egbuka (19th overall), offensive lineman Donovan Jackson (24th overall), defensive tackle Tyleik Williams (28th overall) and left tackle Josh Simmons (32nd overall) were taken — two of them heading to the NFC North as Jackson will be in Minnesota while Williams is heading to Detroit. Egbuka was selected by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers while Simmons went to the Kansas City Chiefs.

Day Two picks…

Running back Quinshon Judkins went No. 36 overall to the Cleveland Browns. Running TreVeyon Henderson went two picks later at No. 38 to the New England Patriots, and defensive end J.T. Tuimoloau was selected at No. 45 overall by the Indianapolis Colts.

Ohio State players still available

QB Will Howard
TE Gee Scott Jr.
OT Josh Fryar
OL Seth McLaughlin
DT Ty Hamilton
CB Denzel Burke
DB Jordan Hancock

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