Jack Sawyer

Jack Sawyer

Sawyer in 2023
Ohio State Buckeyes – No. 33
Position	Defensive end
Class	Senior
Major	Finance
Personal information
Born:	(2002-05-06) May 6, 2002 (age 22) Columbus, Ohio, U.S.
Height	6 ft 5 in (1.96 m)
Weight	260 lb (118 kg)
Career history
College	Ohio State (2021–present)
Bowl games	2022 Rose Bowl 2022 Peach Bowl 2023 Cotton Bowl Classic 2024 CFP First Round 2025 Rose Bowl 2025 Cotton Bowl Classic (Def. MVP) 2025 CFP National Championship
High school	Pickerington North (Pickerington, Ohio)
Career highlights and awards
CFP national champion (2024) 2× Second-team All-Big Ten (2023, 2024) USA Today All-American (2019)
Stats at ESPN

Jack Sawyer (born May 6, 2002) is an American college football defensive end for the Ohio State Buckeyes.[1]

Early life

Sawyer was born on May 6, 2002, in Columbus, Ohio. He grew up in Pickerington, Ohio, and attended Pickerington High School North, where he played basketball and football.[2] He was rated a five-star recruit and the best collegiate prospect in the 2021 class by ESPN. After making the school's varsity football team as a backup tight end, he was moved to defensive end and finished the season with 58 tackles, 16.5 tackles for loss and 3.5 sacks.[3] Sawyer committed to play college football at Ohio State shortly after his sophomore season, when he recorded 62 tackles, 15 tackles for loss, and six sacks.[4] He choose the Buckeyes over offers from Michigan, Notre Dame, Penn State, and Oklahoma.[5][6]

Due to injuries, Sawyer took over as the Panthers' starting quarterback during his junior season.[7] He completed 79 of 135 passes for 1,056 yards and nine touchdowns while rushing for 386 yards and six touchdowns and was named the Ohio Capital Conference-Ohio Division Defensive Player of the Year after recording 13.5 sacks and 19 tackles for loss before suffering a torn MCL in the state playoffs.[8] Sawyer opted not to play in his senior football season due to uncertainties surrounding Covid-19.[9]

College career

Sawyer enrolled at Ohio State a semester early.[10] He won the Rose Bowl in 2022 with the team, but was ejected during the game for targeting Utah quarterback Cameron Rising.[11][12] During his senior season, Sawyer's participation in a post-game brawl after Ohio State's 13-10 upset loss to the Michigan Wolverines football team despite having been 20 point home field favorites captured media attention. [13] Sawyer attempted to steal a flag which a group of several Michigan players had planted in the center of Ohio’s home field logo after the contest concluded. He ultimately had to be restrained from seemingly attempting to fight the Michigan players. [14]

In the 2025 Cotton Bowl, Sawyer returned a fumble touchdown in the fourth quarter after a strip-sack of Texas quarterback Quinn Ewers, which ultimately sealed the victory for the Buckeyes as they advanced to the national championship. Sawyer was named the game's defensive MVP.[15] Sawyer and Ohio State finished the season by winning the 2025 College Football Playoff National Championship against Notre Dame.[16]

Personal life

Sawyer is the son of Lyle and Michelle Sawyer.[17] Sawyer is a Christian.[18]

References

1. Breiler, Chris (December 3, 2024). "Jack Sawyer's words come back to haunt him after fourth consecutive loss to Michigan". Sports Illustrated. Retrieved December 6, 2024.
2. Holbrock, Justin (September 13, 2023). "Pickerington's Jack Sawyer gets comfortable in new role at Ohio State". NBC4 WCMH-TV. Retrieved January 2, 2025.
3. Bielik, Tom (April 12, 2018). "Who is Jack Sawyer, the Pickerington North freshman who got a rare offer from Ohio State?". Cleveland.com. Retrieved February 22, 2021.
4. "Pickerington North defensive end Jack Sawyer rated among nations best". The Columbus Dispatch. August 30, 2019. Retrieved February 22, 2021.
5. Landis, Bill (February 3, 2019). "Jack Sawyer, Ohio's No. 1 prospect, becomes Ohio State's first 2021 commitment: What it means". The Athletic. Retrieved February 22, 2021.
6. "Ohio State football: Pickerington Norths Jack Sawyer commits to 2021 recruiting class". The Columbus Dispatch. February 3, 2019. Retrieved February 22, 2021.
7. Bender, Bill (September 16, 2019). "Five-star Ohio State commit Jack Sawyer makes switch to QB look easy". Sporting News. Retrieved February 22, 2021.
8. Ulrey, Jarrod (November 9, 2019). "Football: Pickerington North's Jack Sawyer suffers torn MCL". Thisweeknews.com. Retrieved February 22, 2021.
9. VanHaaren, Tom (August 14, 2020). "No. 1 recruit Jack Sawyer to skip final high school football season, seek early enrollment at Ohio State". ESPN.com. Retrieved February 22, 2021.
10. Sallee, Barrett (August 14, 2020). "Ohio State football recruiting: Jack Sawyer, No. 3 player in Class of 2021, to enroll early to play in spring". CBS Sports. Retrieved February 22, 2021.
11. Gulick, Brendan (January 2022). "Jack Sawyer Ejected From Rose Bowl For Targeting". Sports Illustrated Ohio State Buckeyes News, Analysis and More. Retrieved January 2, 2022.
12. Rabinowitz, Bill (January 1, 2022). "Led by Jaxon Smith-Njigba, Ohio State football comeback wins wild Rose Bowl over Utah". The Columbus Dispatch. Retrieved January 2, 2022.
13. "Ohio State vs. Michigan prediction, odds, line: 2024 college football picks, Week 14 bets by proven model". CBS Sports. November 30, 2024. Retrieved December 17, 2024.
14. Sullivan, Cole (November 30, 2024). "Jack Sawyer's Emotional Outburst After Michigan Brawl Captures Attention". Athlon Sports. Retrieved December 17, 2024.
15. Trotter, Jake (January 11, 2025). "Sawyer gets his 'moment,' sends OSU to CFP final". ESPN.com. Retrieved January 11, 2025.
16. Pells, Eddie (January 20, 2025). "Ohio State wins 1st national title since 2014, outlasting Notre Dame 34-23 in CFP championship game". AP News. Retrieved January 21, 2025.
17. "Jack Sawyer". Retrieved January 21, 2025.
18. Doering, Joshua. "Ohio State enters title game led by faith-fueled veterans who 'give God all the credit'". Sports Spectrum. Retrieved January 21, 2025.

External links

• Ohio State Buckeyes bio