It’s only a spring game and there isn’t any live tackling, but Jack Sawyer appears to be the real deal.

The 5-star freshman defensive end, and Ohio State’s highest-ranked recruit in the 2021 class, had an impressive first half in Saturday’s spring game, recording 3 sacks. Obviously, it’s a little bit different with no tackling, but it still shows that Sawyer is able to put pressure on the quarterback.

Sawyer, who was a Top 5 recruit in the 2021 class, was the first defensive player to lose his black stripe this spring. It’s a tradition that dates back to the Urban Meyer days and signifies a player has done enough to officially call himself a Buckeye.

The freshman lived up to the hype in the first half.

Ohio State’s first half was full of plenty of highlights and big plays, particularly on the offensive end — likely a result of no tackling. But Sawyer is standing out on defense. He’s probably a player whose name you’ll be hearing a lot of the next few years.

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