![]() Sawyer talking to press ahead of the 2025 CFP National Championship. | |
Ohio State Buckeyes–No. 33 | |
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Position | Defensive end |
Class | Senior |
Major | Finance |
Personal information | |
Born: | Columbus, Ohio, U.S. | May 6, 2002
Height | 6 ft 5 in (1.96 m) |
Weight | 260 lb (118 kg) |
Career history | |
College |
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Bowl games | |
High school | Pickerington North (Pickerington, Ohio) |
Career highlights and awards | |
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Jack Sawyer (born May 6, 2002) is an American college football defensive end for the Ohio State Buckeyes. [1]
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]
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]
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. [14] Sawyer and Ohio State finished the season by winning the 2025 College Football Playoff National Championship against Notre Dame. [15]
Sawyer is the son of Lyle and Michelle Sawyer. [16] Sawyer is a Christian. [17]