It’s time for the Indianapolis Colts to improve their struggling defense. Selecting Jack Sawyer in the 2025 NFL Draft could certainly help out. Sawyer, who helped Ohio State win a national championship, is one of the top defensive end prospects in the draft.
Indianapolis parted ways with defensive coordinator Gus Bradley and replaced him with Lou Anarumo. Colts fans should be optimistic about the former Cincinnati Bengals coordinator. He could improve Indy’s defense in 2025 and help get them to the playoffs.
With Anarumo in town, the Colts’ defense could look much different next season. Will Jack Sawyer be a part of the new-look unit?
His High School and College Careers
Jack Sawyer grew up in Pickerington, Ohio, a suburb of Columbus. He played football and basketball at Pickerington High School North. Beginning as a backup tight end, Sawyer eventually moved to defensive end. He also played quarterback, completing 79 of 135 passes for 1,056 yards and nine touchdowns.
Sawyer was a five-star prospect who was the nation’s No. 1 overall player in Ohio, No. 4 in the country and the nation’s No. 3 ranked defensive end. He received offers from Notre Dame, Michigan, Oklahoma, and Penn State. But, he ultimately chose to play at Ohio State.
This past season, Sawyer recorded 59 combined tackles (nine for loss), nine sacks, seven passes defended, three forced fumbles, and three fumbles recovered. He also had an interception, which was returned for 12 yards.
During the Cotton Bowl, Sawyer made a game-saving play to seal the win against Texas. He stripped the ball from quarterback Quinn Ewers and ran 83 yards to the end zone. Ohio State beat the Longhorns 28-14.
Jack Sawyer later helped quarterback Will Howard and the Buckeyes win a national title, the school’s first since 2014. They knocked off Notre Dame 34-23 in the championship game. Sawyer finished his collegiate career with 144 tackles and 24 sacks.
Why the Colts Should Draft Him
Defensive end isn’t necessarily one of the Colts’ biggest needs. But it will be if Dayo Odeyingbo leaves in free agency and the team cuts Samson Ebukam this offseason. Moving on from Ebukam, who missed the entire 2024 season with an Achilles injury, could generate roughly $7.5 million in cap savings. With that said, such a move is very realistic.
At 6-foot-5 and 260 pounds, Jack Sawyer is smaller than some of the other edge prospects in the 2025 draft class. However, that didn’t stop him from being an impact player at Ohio State. He finished top-seven in the Big Ten in sacks twice and led the conference in forced fumbles this season past season. Sawyer recorded 64 pressures this past season, which was fourth-most among edge-rushers. In 2024, the Colts ranked 22nd in pressure rate and 26th in sacks.
The Colts drafted defensive end Laiatu Latu in the first round (15th overall) last year. He had a solid first year in Indy as he was named to the PFWA All-Rookie Team. Sawyer, who’s projected as a second-pick, could join Latu and Co. on the Colts’ defensive line in 2025. And that would be a good move for the team if that happens.
Main Photo: Adam Cairns – Imagn Images
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