The Pittsburgh Steelers play in the AFC North, one of the most physical divisions in all football. As such, it’s no surprise that they’re adding to their defense at multiple points during the draft. To kick things off on Saturday, Pittsburgh selected Ohio State EDGE Jack Sawyer in the fourth round of the 2025 NFL Draft.
Sawyer did a lot of things well during his time at Ohio State, and one of his strengths is run defense. That’s where Steelers defensive coordinator Teryl Austin thinks he can initially help the Steelers.
“We know, in the AFC North, if you’re not good at stopping the run, it’s gonna be a problem,” Austin said after the Steelers picked Sawyer, via the Steelers’ YouTube page. “And so he helps us in that area. I think he also helps us in special teams, because you’re talking about a big guy that’s not afraid of contact and will be able to do some things.”
As we saw in the Steelers’ Wild Card loss to the Baltimore Ravens in January, you sure do need to stop the run in the AFC North. That’s something the Steelers couldn’t do at all during their five-game losing streak to end the 2024 season. It was one of the main reasons for their collapse in general.
Stopping the run is something the Steelers have clearly prioritized. Sawyer marks their third pick of the draft, and the second addition to their defensive line. In the first round, they took Oregon defensive lineman Derrick Harmon.
Sawyer has a great frame for the position and showed his versatility at Ohio State. During his time there, he played on the edge, in the interior, and even dropped back into coverage. Overall, his game is still raw, and he’ll need some polishing. However, he’ll turn 23 during his rookie season, so he’s got time to clean those things up. You can check out Sawyer’s full scouting report here.
His versatility is surely something the Steelers appreciate. Heading into a season with an aging Cam Heyward, and already talking about moving T.J. Watt around more, Jack Sawyer’s ability to do a variety of things should give Pittsburgh a lot more flexibility. According to Austin, though, it sounds like Sawyer’s run defense really appealed to the Steelers.
And they passed on several other needs, most notably quarterback, to take him.
