Senior defensive ends JT Tuimoloau (44) and Jack Sawyer (33) embrace on the Ohio State sideline at the end of the fourth quarter during the No. 8 seed Buckeyes’ first round College Football playoff game against No. 9 seed Tennessee at the Ohio Stadium. The Buckeyes dominated the Volunteers 42-17 Dec. 21, 2024 and will advance to the quarterfinals of the playoff. Credit: Carly Damon | Asst. Photo Editor
JT Tuimoloau
Former Ohio State edge rusher JT Tuimoloau was selected by the Indianapolis Colts with the No. 45 overall pick in the 2025 NFL Draft.
A three-time First-Team All-Big Ten selection and two-time captain, Tuimoloau capped off his four-year career at Ohio State ranked No. 6 in program history with 23.5 career sacks.
Tuimoloau put together his strongest campaign as a senior, highlighted by Ohio State’s playoff run, where he notched a sack in each of the Buckeyes’ four postseason games and totaled 6.5 sacks in the College Football Playoff.
However, the game Buckeye fans may remember most came in 2022 against Penn State, when Tuimoloau delivered one of the most dominant individual defensive performances in college football history. He finished with six tackles, two sacks, two interceptions, a forced fumble, a fumble recovery, and a touchdown.
Tuimoloau’s combination of strength, versatility, and postseason production made him a highly appealing target for teams in need of an edge presence. At 6-foot-5 and 270 pounds, he projects as a powerful run-stopper with upside as a pass-rusher at the next level.
The Sammamish, Washington native was a highly touted recruit for the Buckeyes, being a five-star talent and the nation’s No. 2 overall player in the 2021 recruiting class, according to 247 Sports.
Jack Sawyer
Former Ohio State defensive end Jack Sawyer was selected by the Pittsburgh Steelers as the 123rd overall pick in the fourth round of the 2025 NFL Draft Saturday.
During his time with the Buckeyes, Sawyer played in all 55 games throughout his four seasons, starting the final 29 games of his junior and senior seasons.
Sawyer racked up 138 total tackles during his career, adding 20 sacks, 11 passes defensed, six forced fumbles and three fumble recoveries.
He was a All-Big Ten Conference Honorable Mention in his 2022 and 2023 seasons, before earning Second-Team all-Big Ten Conference honors in his final season with Ohio State.
A product of Pickerington, Ohio — Sawyer was a five-star prospect out of Pickerington North High School, ranking as the No. 6 overall prospect and the top recruit in Ohio in the class of 2021, according to 247Sports.
