Ohio State Buckeyes' Defensive Star Earns Intriguing NFL Comparison

This Ohio State Buckeyes star defender has landed a pretty interesting NFL comparison.

Aug 31, 2024; Columbus, OH, USA; Ohio State Buckeyes defensive end Jack Sawyer (33) tries to hype the crowd during the first half of the NCAA football game against the Akron Zips at Ohio Stadium. / Adam Cairns/Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK

Ohio State Buckeyes defensive end Jack Sawyer probably would have been a Day 1 pick had he entered the NFL Draft in 2024, but he decided to return to Columbus due to some unfinished business.

Sawyer will surely be heading into the draft next spring and is widely expected to be one of the best defensive players available.

Bleacher Report's Ryan Fowler has offered a very interesting comparison for the Ohio State star: a combination of Cincinnati Bengals defensive end Sam Hubbard and Kansas City Chiefs edge rusher George Karlaftis.

Sawyer is probably shooting for a loftier goal than becoming the next Hubbard, as the Bengals defender has never made a Pro Bowl since entering the NFL in 2018. As a matter of fact, he has never even logged double-digit sacks, topping out at 8.5 in his sophomore campaign.

Karlaftis, on the other hand, is a pretty flattering likeness.

The 23-year-old Chiefs star is only in his third NFL season, but last year, he racked up 47 tackles, 10.5 sacks and a forced fumble. He didn't earn a Pro Bowl selection, but you get the feeling that a lot of those are coming for the Purdue product.

Over the first two games of 2024, Sawyer has logged five tackles and a sack. Last year, he rattled off 48 tackles, 10 tackles for loss, 6.5 sacks and a couple of forced fumbles.

The 22-year-old made an impact with the Buckeyes right from the jump, logging three sacks during his freshman season and following that up with 24 stops, 6.5 tackles for loss and 4.5 sacks in 2022.

We'll see if Sawyer ends up climbing the draft boards as his senior campaign progresses.