Ben Roethlisberger Makes Bold Prediction for Steelers' Jack Sawyer

Pittsburgh Steelers legend Ben Roethlisberger is quite bullish about the potential of rookie edge rusher Jack Sawyer.

On the latest episode of his "Footbahlin" podcast, Roethlisberger stated that he believes the former Ohio State star could eventually become the next Steelers captain.

“You can see that that dude has every potential to be a captain at some point on this team," Roethlisberger said. “Dude is gonna be good, I think. I almost forgot about him in the draft. When we picked him, I was like, ‘Oh, I remember. Yeah, that’s a good pick.’”

While that's quite the proclamation to make about a fourth-round pick who has yet to step on an NFL field, it's not hard to pinpoint why Roethlisberger is enamored with Sawyer.

The 23-year-old showcased his competitive edge and high motor throughout his collegiate career with one of the top programs in the nation. Sawyer set the tone for the Buckeyes' defense on their way to a national title this past year, logging 59 tackles and nine sacks while leading the Big Ten with three forced fumbles.

His most memorable moment came on a strip sack of former teammate Quinn Ewers in the red zone that he returned for an 83-yard touchdown against Texas in the semifinals of the College Football Playoff while Ohio State led 21-14 with just over two minutes remaining in the fourth quarter.

In 54 total games, Sawyer tied for the seventh-most sacks in Buckeyes history with 23 to go alongside 144 tackles and six forced fumbles.

Though T.J. Watt, Alex Highsmith and Nick Herbig currently slot in ahead of Sawyer on Pittsburgh's depth chart, there's still a role for him to fill as a strong run defender and adept power rusher in his first season.

Roethlisberger believes sitting behind those players will be a boon to Sawyer's career and help him out longterm as he adjusts to life in the NFL.

“I think it’s great because he’s going to get to learn behind some studs, maybe one of the greatest to ever play the game in T.J., Alex, who’s a high-motor, high-quality, high-character guy that is a really good football player as well,” Roethlisberger said. “And he’s all for learning. He’s not coming in being like, ‘I’m the dude.’”

If Sawyer comes close to meeting the expectations Roethlisberger has for him, the Steelers will have yet another stud of an edge rusher on their hands.

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