2025 NFL Draft Scouting Report: Jack Sawyer

Strengths:

• Power vs the Run: He is a big, powerful edge-setter with good instincts against the run. Sawyer bullies his way into rushing lanes with good play recognition to find and attack the football
• Lateral Burst: His impressive lateral burst extends his tackling radius against horizontal runs and makes him dangerous as a pass rusher on inside moves and stunts.
• Interior Versatility: Sawyer has the size and power to hold his own against interior blockers, and his pass-rush ability shines inside. I wouldn't line him up as a DT on rushing downs, but his ability to defend the run while running spikes and slants inside holds value for a team that will stunt often.
• Bright Lights: He put up dominant numbers throughout the college football playoff with 21 pressures and five sacks across four games. In the semi-final against Texas, he took the game over with a strip sack he returned for a touchdown in the fourth quarter.
• Hand Usage: Sawyer uses accurate and well-timed hands to make impactful blows on blockers. His powerful bull rush can crunch the pocket or eat up blockers, allowing free rushers to get home.

Weaknesses:

• Length: His short arms are a notable limitation for a player who tends to get handled as a pass rusher if he doesn't win first contact. The short arms limit his margin for error and ability to counter effectively when beaten.
• Pass-Rush Counters: Sawyer is a pure power rusher with few counters or secondary moves in his arsenal. While he does flash nice rips and inside moves, his pass-rushing profile is almost entirely built on power. Overreliance on his bull rush can throw him off balance and put him in the dirt.
• Consistency: His tape is maddeningly inconsistent, with a few excellent pass rush reps per game that leave you wondering why you don't see it more often. Additionally, his timing and stunt execution can get sloppy.
• Explosion: Sawyer lacks the ideal vertical burst that NFL teams seek to consistently threaten the offensive tackle's outside shoulder. This lack of upfield burst also limits his ability to shoot or close on gaps in the run game and as a pass rusher.

Final Thoughts and Bears Fit for Jack Sawyer:

Overall, Sawyer is a powerful edge rusher known for his strength against the run and timely pass rush production. He has an impressive lateral burst and uses well-timed hand techniques to create pressure. He showcases his potential with strong performances in big games like the college football playoffs.

However, his short arms limit his effectiveness in generating separation from blockers, and his pass-rushing approach relies heavily on power rather than having multiple moves. Additionally, his inconsistency and lack of upfield burst may impact his ability to disrupt consistently at the NFL level.

Despite these concerns, his physicality and potential make him a Top 50 pick. I see his ceiling as a key contributor to an NFL defense for years to come, but he will never become a consistent Pro Bowl player. His floor is just below that of a starting-caliber player like Yetur Gross-Matos.

However, Sawyer is an excellent fit for the Bears, and I firmly expect them to consider him in the second round. While he is not my cup of tea, I operate under the umbrella of EDGE rushers that I enjoy watching. The Bears will draft an EDGE rusher that fits what Dennis Allen wants to do. What does Dennis Allen want in an EDGE rusher?

He wants a stout player who can stunt inside without losing their ability to defend the run. A player who is excellent at spiking offensive guards while still attached to offensive tackles, allowing looping defensive tackles free runs at the quarterback. And someone who can set a hard edge against the run while playing head-up on an offensive tackle. By my count, Sawyer checks all of those boxes. I expect the Bears to consider him with one of their second-round selections, maybe even in a trade-down.

Pro Comp: A.J. Epenesa