In the fourth round of the 2025 NFL Draft, the Pittsburgh Steelers selected edge rusher Jack Sawyer from Ohio State. With so many quarterbacks still available, that might surprise some people. Edge rusher doesn’t seem like a huge need for the Steelers. T.J. Watt, Alex Highsmith, and Nick Herbig are a great core. However, Teryl Austin stated that Sawyer was the best player remaining for the Steelers.
“At this point, we really just like the player,” Austin said via the team’s YouTube channel after the selection. “I think, as you get further down in the draft, sometimes up top, it’s easier to pick those guys. But when you have a guy who has all the qualities that he has and the intangibles and the winning attitude, those things are hard to pass up. We thought he was the best football player for us at this time.”
That should help ease any concerns that fans might have. Sawyer is a good player, and the Steelers clearly feel good about getting him in the fourth round. Day 3 picks usually aren’t expected to be studs. A team targeting the best player on their board makes sense.
It’s not like the Steelers didn’t need to add another edge rusher, either. Their depth behind Watt, Highsmith, and Herbig isn’t great. They got tested on that front last year, with all three of those players dealing with injuries. Having Sawyer behind them to learn and develop could be a good thing.
Also, a team can never have enough pass rushers. The Steelers’ defense collapsed to end the 2024 season. Hopefully, injecting some youth into that group can help prevent that from happening again. Sawyer is a fine run defender, although he needs to work on other aspects of his game. He made a lot of big plays at Ohio State, too.
The Steelers still have several picks left on Day 3, so they could still address quarterback. If they do land Aaron Rodgers, though, loading up on talented players should be just as helpful. Mike Tomlin made it clear that he wants to compete for a championship this year, and getting good football players should help with that. While it isn’t their most pressing need, Sawyer is a good player, especially for this draft slot.
