Can Ohio State DE Jack Sawyer Be Buckeyes 'Breakout' Player?

Think back to the 2019 season.

The Ohio State Buckeyes defense led the country with 54 sacks, led by former defensive end Chase Young's program single-season record 16.5. The next closest defensive lineman to Young's sack total was then-freshman Zach Harrison's 3.5.

By the end of the season, opponents centered their entire pass-blocking scheme around Young, which resulted in 2.6 sacks per game in the final five games as opposed to the 4.6-sacks-per-game clip the Buckeyes averaged in their first nine.

Defensive end J.T. Tuimoloau showed his otherworldly potential against Penn State, and if Jack Sawyer can provide a good complement, the duo could be one of the best one-two combo sack artists in the country. That's if Sawyer blossoms into the player people think he can be in 2023.

"The breakout player potentially on this team is Jack Sawyer," Josh Pate said on "Late Kick with Josh Pate" in June. "He was their top overall-rated recruit a couple cycles ago. Everyone's waiting for him to break out. I expect him to break out this year. He's played in 26 games, but he hasn't emerged as a stalwart on that team yet. I think he will. He was the No. 6 overall player in 2021. Sometimes it takes a couple years for these dudes to really shine through. I think he will this year."

Sawyer played in defensive coordinator Jim Knowles' coveted "Jack" position last season, which is a hybrid linebacker who is not only responsible for rushing the passer but may also drop into coverage.

The staff determined Sawyer's most valuable when getting after the quarterback, as next season he'll strictly be a hand-in-the-dirt defensive end.

The Pickerington, OH. native played 175 less snaps than Tuimoloau last season, but his 329 snap counts from 2022 should increase next season. By how much is unclear because defensive line coach Larry Johnson likes to rotate his linemen often in order to stay fresh.

"That's a loaded group," Pate said. "It's a good time to be playing the position [Sawyer] does at Ohio State."

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