Chiefs Land Talented Ohio State DE in 2025 NFL Mock Draft

In a way-too-early 2025 mock, CBS Sports sends another pass-rushing option to Kansas City late in the first round.

Dec 29, 2023; Arlington, TX, USA; Ohio State Buckeyes defensive end Jack Sawyer (33) celebrates his / Kyle Robertso-USA TODAY Sports

With the 2024 NFL Draft in the books, teams are getting a first look at their rookie classes in minicamp this offseason. For the Kansas City Chiefs, their minicamp has been completed and multiple first-year players managed to stand out.

The 2025 NFL Draft may be nearly a full year away, but that isn't stopping outlets from projecting the next crop of elite talents. In CBS Sports' 2025 mock, Josh Edwards opts for a defense-heavy focus in the opening round.

As things currently stand, Edwards has the Chiefs picking 31st. Ohio State defensive end Jack Sawyer is the pick in the first round, and the logic for the selection is short and sweet.

"Jack Sawyer brings the juice that Felix Anudike-Uzomah and George Karlaftis may lack," Edwards wrote.

Sawyer, an Ohio native, just wrapped up his third season with the Buckeyes late last year. In 13 games, the second-team All-Big Ten selection set career-high marks in tackles (48), tackles for loss (10), sacks (6.5), passes broken up (2) and forced fumbles (2). Those 10 tackles for loss ranked ninth in the conference, with his sack mark also slotting in the 10 best Big Ten players for 2023.

Pro Football Focus is a big fan of Sawyer's profile, making him their No. 11-graded overall defensive end last season. His run defense grade (86.6) ranked third among those with at least 20% of maximum snaps played, and his 86.0 pass-rush grade was 32nd. The outlet credited him with 37 pressures on the year.

Listed at 6-foot-5, 260 pounds on the school's spring football roster, Sawyer decided to return for another season rather than enter the draft. He's a well-built perimeter defensive lineman who plays sound and disciplined run defense. Sawyer is a strong player who recognizes plays and possesses a quick processor. He should be able to play a considerable amount of snaps as a rookie due to his fundamentals as a run-stopper.

As a pass-rush threat, Sawyer is primarily a power player. He doesn't have a ton of quick-twitch athleticism, with his ability to bend up and around the arc being question marks he'll have to answer in his final college season. It's ironic that Edwards notes Sawyer's "juice" relative to someone like Anudike-Uzomah, who was drafted largely for that reason this past year.

Nevertheless, Sawyer is closer to the type of defensive lineman that Steve Spagnuolo is traditionally a fan of. He'd be able to play on early downs as a rookie if needed and maybe even offer some alignment versatility if developed properly. It's far too early to tell if he'll be available at the end of the first round next year, so the Edwards mock is more of an introduction than anything else.

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