Whose Shoes Will Sawyer Fill for Steelers?

Yahoo

01-05-2025

Ohio State edge rusher Jack Sawyer was born to be a Pittsburgh Steeler, at least by the traditional sense of the term.
The Steelers clearly weren't the best team in 2024, but they weren't the biggest or strongest, either. This was epitomized in the AFC Wild Card Round, where Pittsburgh was outclassed by a Baltimore Ravens team that rushed for 299 yards on the way to a 28-14 win.
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Simply put, a Mike Tomlin-led team was far less physical than his reputation would suggest, and the team's offseason moves suggest that it won't happen again. Pittsburgh grew more physical on the defensive line, on the ground, and even at receiver, where DK Metcalf is among the game's freakiest physical specimens.
Among the additions was Sawyer, the team's fourth-round pick. He'll be replacing respected veteran Preston Smith on the Steelers defense, making right on a good-process trade that went wrong for Pittsburgh.
Smith was a healthy scratch for that playoff bout, leaving the Steelers without an edge rusher who was at his best against the run. Sayer changes that.
"This guy is really good, tough," said defensive coordinator Teryl Austin, via the team website. "Unbelievable intangibles. Football character. He also has a knack for making plays when you need. You see him make a lot of big plays at crunch. It tells me he is a guy who is going to show up when you need him.
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"Unbelievable across the board. No holes about who he is and what he is about. I think he will fit in nicely in our room. When you have a guy who has all of the qualities he has, and the intangibles, and winning attitude, those things are hard to pass up."
Sawyer isn't an imposing athlete, and he certainly isn't the athletic phenom other high-profile edge rushers can claim to be. But as a rusher who can win with power, and whose play strength shows up consistently against the run, there's real upside in his game.
He doesn't figure to play a major role in Pittsburgh's plans – not with T.J. Watt, Alex Highsmith, and Nick Herbig ahead of him. But as a rotational player on early downs and short-yardage situations, Sawyer gives the Steelers an edge they've missed in recent years.
"You got to be able to set edges and do things,' Austin said, via Nick Farabaugh. 'And we know in the AFC North, if you're not good, stop and run, that's going to be a problem. And so, he helps us in that area."
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Sawyer is part of a Pittsburgh draft class meant to bring back physical football. With his skill set, he has a chance to redefine what it means to be a Steeler.
Related: Tomlin Reveals Defining Trait of Steelers' 2025 Draft Class
Related: Steelers Add Explosive Defensive Tackle in Round 1