Jack Sawyer, EDGE
Starting EDGE duo JT Tuimoloau and Jack Sawyer is insanely-productive and disruptive in the pass rush for the Ohio State defensive front seven. Tuimoloau leads the team with a career-high 10 sacks this season. He's registered multiple sacks in both Playoff wins for the Buckeyes this postseason over Oregon and the Tennessee Volunteers in late December.
Sawyer ranks second on the team with eight sacks this season.
Against Oregon in the CFP quarterfinals, Sawyer and Tuimoloau both had multiple sacks and combined for double-digit quarterback pressures. The Oregon game was the perfect example of how disruptive this duo can be in the opposing team's backfield. Sawyer and Tuimoloau also combined for 4.5 tackles for loss and three batted balls/pass breakups in the 20-point win over Oregon.
"I can’t say enough about Jack as a leader, as a person. He really stands for what it means to be a Buckeye, and to see him playing at a high level, he’s the heart and soul of the front."Ryan Day on Jack Sawyer
Since both Ohio State edge rushers are so important to their disruptiveness on defense, the leadership Sawyer brings is a big reason why the Buckeyes are just a couple of weeks away from a national championship appearance in Atlanta on Jan. 20.
Texas's starting offensive tackles, All-American Kelvin Banks Jr. and either Trevor Goosby or Cameron Williams (depending on his injury status for next Thursday) will face a tremendous challenge next week against Ohio State's defensive ends.