When the Pittsburgh Steelers selected Jack Sawyer with the 123rd overall pick in the fourth round of the 2025 NFL Draft, fans were ecstatic. Saywer was the 75th overall player on the NFL draft expert consensus board, and the Steelers ignored positional need to take the 'best player available' approach. Unfortunately, Sawyer's closest NFL player comps suggest the edge rusher has a limited ceiling in the NFL.
With short arms, stiff hips, and modest backfield production in four seasons with the Ohio State Buckeyes (29 tackles for a loss in 54 games), Sawyer projects as a rotational edge rusher at the next level. This isn't a bad thing, especially considering his draft position, but those expecting the second coming of T.J. Watt will be sorely disappointed.
Sawyer is a football player by the very definition: gritty, energized, and physical. However, his average skill set and lack of fluidity could limit what he's able to do for the Steelers. Based on his size profile, play style, and athletic traits, here are my high-end, low-end, and most likely NFL player comparisons for Jack Sawyer.
NFL player comparisons for Pittsburgh Steelers EDGE Jack Sawyer
Low-end NFL comp: Josh Paschal
Josh Paschal was a five-year player in the SEC for the Kentucky Wildcats, and his best year came as a senior when the powerful edge rusher recorded 16 tackles for a loss. This helped Paschal to get drafted by the Detroit Lions in the second round of the 2022 NFL Draft.
Unfortunately, Paschal's impact has been mostly non-existent. Despite playing in 36 games in his first three seasons (and making 18 starts), Paschal has five career sacks and 12 tackles for a loss in a rotational role.
At 6'3'' and 274 pounds with 32 3/4'' arms, Sawyer shares a similar size profile to Paschal, while both players lack elite bend and burst in their game. Both players were also 23-year-old rookies. If Sawyer never progresses much from the player we saw at Ohio State, he could have a similarly slow start to his NFL career as Paschal experienced with the Lions.
High-end NFL comp: Carl Lawson
Pittsburgh Steelers fans are no strangers to Carl Lawson. As a rookie in 2017, the edge defender put the NFL on notice with an 8.5-sack season despite being credited with just one start. Unfortunately, this would prove to be the most productive season of his NFL career.
Lawson was a powerful player for the Cincinnati Bengals in his heyday, but the edge rusher was always limited due to his 31 1/2'' arms and lack of flexibility as a rusher. Still, Lawson eventually carved out a role as a starter for the Bengals and Jets in the middle of his NFL career. Like Sawyer, Lawson was also a former fourth-round pick.
This seems like a relatively low bar for a high-end player comp, but Jack Sawyer will have similar limitations in the NFL. If he can become Carl Lawson in a rotational role for the Steelers, sign me up.
Most likely NFL comp: Dawuane Smoot
My most likely player comparison for Sawyer in the NFL is a player who probably never caught your eye. Dawuane Smoot entered the NFL as a third-round pick in the 2017 NFL Draft and spent his first seven seasons with the Jacksonville Jaguars before a quick stint with the Buffalo Bills in 2024.
Smoot is a long-time backup and rotational edge rusher who proved capable of spelling the starters while showcasing the ability to finish on the quarterback. From 2019 to 2022, Smoot recorded at least five sacks in four straight seasons.
Smoot started just 21 of 94 games in his first eight seasons. Though he never became a full-time player, he proved to be a quality rotational piece. With a similar size profile and a play style predicated on power over speed, Jack Sawyer could have a similar career path.