Ohio State football’s Jack Sawyer became a Buckeyes legend after the Cotton Bowl. He now looks to finish out his career with a championship.
The senior defensive end strip-sacked Texas quarterback Quinn Ewers on fourth down late in the fourth quarter of the College Football Playoff semifinal, recovering the ball and returning it for an 83-yard touchdown. The score gave Ohio State a 28-14 lead, which proved to be the final score as it clinched a national championship berth against Notre Dame.
“I can’t say enough about Jack Sawyer,” Ohio State coach Ryan Day said in his post-Cotton Bowl interview on ESPN. “He’s a guy who loves being a Buckeye, loves his teammates. … We talked before the game about wanting to leave a legacy behind and becoming a legend. He just became a legend at Ohio State.”
The 6-foot-5 defender has been one of the Buckeyes’ best defensive players for multiple seasons, racking up a career-high nine sacks in 2024-25. He could also find himself slip into the late first round of the upcoming 2025 NFL draft.
Monday marks the final college football game of Sawyer’s career. As he looks to go out on a high note, especially after becoming a household name after his Cotton Bowl performance, here’s everything to know about Sawyer ahead of the national championship game:
Who is Jack Sawyer?
Sawyer is a fourth-year defensive end for Ohio State, who was one of the best defensive players in college football this season.
The 6-foot-5, 260-pound edge rusher has 56 total tackles with nine sacks this season, along with three forced fumbles and a fumble recovery — with a chance to add even more numbers against Notre Dame in the national championship.
Sawyer has had quite the few weeks to end his final season, as he made headlines in December after trying to stop Michigan from planting a flag at midfield of Ohio Stadium, which prompted a postgame fight between archrivals after the Wolverines’ 13-10 win. He also had a goal-line interception in the loss.
He made arguably the best play of his career in the Cotton Bowl, returning a fumble he caused 83 yards for a touchdown against Texas in the CFP semifinal, all but securing the Buckeyes’ Cotton Bowl win.
“I love this state, I love Columbus, Ohio, I love this f—ing team so much,” Sawyer said after the Cotton Bowl. “I would go to war for this team over and over and over again.”
Clearly an intense player, Sawyer is expected to be drafted in the upcoming 2025 NFL Draft. Without eligibility remaining, he can’t come back to school. However, some draft experts have had him climb into the end of the first round after his play in recent games.
Sawyer was named a second-team All-Big Ten selection this season, behind a first team comprised of multiple future first-round picks, including Michigan’s Mason Graham, Penn State’s Abdul Carter and potentially, Ohio State’s JT Tuimoloau.
Jack Sawyer 247 rating
Rating: 5 stars
Overall ranking: No. 5 player in the nation
Positional ranking: No. 3 defensive lineman
State ranking: No. 1 player from state of Ohio
Sawyer grew up a Buckeyes fan, attending high school in nearby Pickerington, Ohio — less than a 30-minute drive from Ohio State’s campus in Columbus.
It was there he blossomed into one of the nation’s best recruits, ranking a five-star prospect and No. 5 player in the 2021 recruiting class, according to 247Sports’ Composite rankings. He was also the first player to commit in the Buckeyes’ 2021 class.
Jack Sawyer NFL draft mocks
Here’s where Sawyer is projected to be taken in the 2025 NFL draft, according to multiple mock draft experts:
USA TODAY: First round, No. 32 overall to Detroit Lions
Yahoo Sports: First round, No. 30 overall to Philadelphia Eagles
CBS Sports: First round, No. 32 overall to Detroit Lions
Pro Football Focus: First round, No. 25 overall to Los Angeles Chargers
Jack Sawyer stats
Here are Sawyer’s year-by-year college stats:
2021: 13 total tackles, three sacks, one forced fumble
2022: 24 total tackles, 4.5 sacks
2023: 48 total tackles, 6.5 sacks, two forced fumbles
2024: 56 total tackles, nine sacks, three forced fumbles and an interception