The Pittsburgh Steelers love having depth at outside linebacker. They proved that when they took Ohio State LB Jack Sawyer in the fourth round. He fits the mold of a Steelers edge rusher, even if he has shorter arms (just like Nick Herbig).
But it’s Sawyer’s mentality and approach the Steelers have fallen in love with. During a post-draft press conference, HC Mike Tomlin was asked about how he views Sawyer.
“Love Jack Sawyer,” said Tomlin via video from the Steelers’ YouTube channel. “It’s easy to love, not just in terms of his resume but his relationship with the game, his approach to football business, how he is viewed and received by his teammates. As Omar [Khan] mentioned, a lot of these guys represent Steeler DNA, and I think that’s really indicative of Jack Sawyer.”
That’s the second time on Saturday that Tomlin mentioned Sawyer as having “Steeler DNA”, mentioning it earlier during an appearance on NFL Network. Evidently, Tomlin sees him as a player who exemplifies what it means to be a Steeler. And based on Sawyer’s own comments to reporters Saturday, he’s definitely got the mentality already.
Sawyer is also a part of a specific focus by the Steelers with this draft class. During that earlier appearance on NFL Network, Rich Eisen asked Tomlin about the thought process that went into selecting DT Derrick Harmon with the 21st pick. Tomlin explained that they were dedicated to reestablishing a physical presence. In essence, the Steelers are trying to get back to their DNA of physical, tough football.
And that’s who Jack Sawyer is, through and through. The Steelers met with him more than once throughout the pre-draft process to pick his brain on who he is as a football player. They attended his Pro Day and had a formal meeting with him at the NFL Scouting Combine. Based upon film study and those meetings, the Steelers and Tomlin fell in love with Jack Sawyer.
