Being from the Columbus, Ohio area, his first love of football was Ohio State, but it quickly grew into much more.
“We would go to friend’s homes and watch games and then the kids who go in the back yard and play tackle football,” said Sawyer. “I would be getting grass stains all over my shirt and jeans that my mom just bought me. It was always so much fun.”
Sawyer was described by the Steelers coaches in many ways beyond what Tomlin said, and one description by defensive coordinator Teryl Austin pegged him as a guy who makes plays at crunch times.
It’s a description Sawyer loves.
“When you play this game of football, the games are won and lost between a few plays each game,” said Sawyer. “I always try to prepare myself and get myself ready and best fit for those big moments where the game matters the most.
“I just thank God I’ve been able to make some big plays at the college level in crunch moments and hopefully I get the opportunity to do so at the next level too for the Steelers.”
Sawyer, who is an intimidating force at 6-5, 259 pounds, was also deemed as a player who has his ‘mean on.’
And what does that mean to him.
“That is how I was raised,” said Sawyer. “When you’re playing this game, it’s physical. It’s man-on-man. For lack of a better description, it is one guy that’s going to kick the other guy’s tail. You have to have that edge to you and an attitude when you go out there and play. That’s how I grew up and was raised to play the game and other sports as well.”
While the physical side is something that he takes great pride in, his football IQ is also something that has progressed during his time in college.
“Progressively, while at Ohio State, I realized the more you study and the more you know leading up to a game, and any little advantage you can get when you’re on a field with other great athletes, that’s where you separate yourself,” said Sawyer. “Being a…
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