Going into the 2025 NFL draft, the Pittsburgh Steelers did not have a need along the edge, with their current group being one of the more strong ones on the entire roster, and in the NFL in general.
Pittsburgh is set to enter this coming season with a trio of T.J. Watt, Alex Highsmith and Nick Herbig. Granted, Watt’s future is a bit murky at the moment because of his contract situation, but the expectation is something gets done there eventually and Watt will remain in Pittsburgh.
Knowing all that, we didn’t expect the Steelers to take an edge rusher, or at least not as early as the middle rounds. However, general manager Omar Khan made the decision to draft Ohio State edge rusher Jack Sawyer in the fourth round.
Once the draft was over, The Sporting News’ Vinnie Iyer tabbed Sawyer as one of the biggest steals of the 2025 NFL draft.
“The Steelers get their style of versatile, high-energy impact defender,” he said. “He can help their top pass rush well, but he also gives them a bigger boost outside vs. the run.”
It’s true that Sawyer’s best trait is defending the run, where the Steelers certainly need more help.
But Sawyer showed plenty of pass-rush chops at Ohio State, also, with 23 sacks over the past four years, including a personal best nine in 2024. Sawyer also saw his pressure numbers explode from 2023 to 2024, going from 37 to 64.
Ahead of the draft, we saw Sawyer, who is also a fantastic leader, projected to go as high as the first round, and we also saw Day 2 projections. Based on that, the Steelers got great value with their selection of the Ohio State star.
Looking ahead to 2025, Sawyer will serve as a valuable depth piece who should see most of his snaps on special teams while also getting some looks on defense. And, if all goes well, Sawyer could be an every-down starter for years to come.
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