The Ohio State University’s triumph, a gigantic 28 to 14 victory over the Texas Longhorns in the Cotton Bowl, gave Jack Sawyer a place in the annals of history as one of the big reasons why they progressed to the national championship.
Sawyer may have added the biggest play of all to the annals of Ohio State football.
Late in the fourth quarter with the game on the line, Sawyer forced a strip-sack against Texas quarterback Quinn Ewers. Not only did he force the fumble and get the sack, he scooped up the football and returned it 83 yards for a touchdown to put the game on ice.
There is no Buckeye fan who would forget the play. It is cemented into historical Ohio State football.
From that point on, Sawyer’s name has become much more familiar to the casual fan. Earlier in the year, he was considered one of the potential first-round picks in the 2025 NFL Draft but has been projected more as a second-round pick.
Whether or not his heroic play against the Longhorns will help him rise in the draft rankings remains to be seen. However, one NFL Draft expert has spoken out boldly about the Buckeyes’ star defender.
ESPN’s Matt Miller is a big fan of Sawyer. He believes that NFL teams are going to “fall in love” with him throughout the NFL Draft process.
“Got the chance to talk to Jack Sawyer at Ohio state pro day last year. He epitomizes Buckeye football. You see it with his effort every single down. Coaches are going to love him when they get involved in draft prep,” Miller wrote.
During the 2024 college football season, Sawyer has put together big numbers. He has racked up 56 total tackles to go along with nine sacks, three forced fumbles, an interception, two defensive touchdowns, and six defended passes.
There are very few players in college football who have made a bigger impact on their team than Sawyer.
Not only has he put up big numbers, he has shown off incredible leadership. Sawyer has been the unquestioned leader of the Ohio State defense. That will be a major plus for him throughout the draft process as well.
All of that being said, Sawyer did himself a major favor when it comes to his NFL future. That being said, he is only focused on winning a national championship for the Buckeyes right now.
