The Pittsburgh Steelers have had a successful couple of NFL Drafts in recent years as the organization has done a great job of bringing in some young talent. General Manager Omar Khan and Assistant General Manager Andy Weidl have been praised for this, and the duo is looking to put together another good draft class in 2026. The Steelers have 12 selections in the event, although it is hard to imagine all of those will be used. Khan will likely try to move on from some of those picks in order to gain some draft capital in 2027, or to move up in the 2026 Draft. One position the Steelers probably won't have their eye on much this year is at outside linebacker, as that room is already loaded.
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Steelers Assistant General Manager Andy Weidl sits in front of some microphones as he speaks with members of the media.
During the 2025 NFL Draft, the Steelers decided to draft outside linebacker Jack Sawyer out of Ohio State. He won the National Championship in his final season of college football, but he was not seen as some high-ranking prospect. He wound up being selected in the fourth round, and the Steelers made several comments about the selection after the fact and noted that the value was too good to pass up. Sawyer saw limited opportunities during his rookie season in 2025, but he made some splash plays and showed a ton of improvement throughout the year.
Former Pittsburgh quarterback Ben Roethlisberger spoke about the outside linebackers during an appearance on Deebo & Joe on Tuesday. He shared that he has high hopes for Sawyer and he liked what he saw from him in his rookie year.
"Obviously you know what you have in [TJ] Watt and [Alex] Highsmith," Roethlisberger explained. "Just personally, as a quarterback, the growth that I saw in Sawyer, I think he's got a chance to really learn and be a good player. And obviously [Nick] Herbig on the other side."
The former quarterback was discussing how elite the outside linebacker group is in Pittsburgh, and that is clear and obvious with players like TJ Watt and Alex Highsmith. Those two are leading the way, and a young and rising star in Nick Herbig is right behind them. Sawyer isn't quite on Herbig's level, but he showed promise during his rookie season that he might be able to get there one day.
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Steelers linebacker Jack Sawyer stands alongside his teammates during the National Anthem prior to participating in a professional football game.
Due to how loaded the outside linebacker room is now in Pittsburgh, Sawyer saw limited opportunities during his rookie season. He recorded just one sack during the regular season of his rookie year, but he also recorded two interceptions. That is impressive for a young outside linebacker. He was also praised for his ability to stop the run, and if he can improve his pass rushing abilities, some his play can improve dramatically.
Sawyer also has a history for showing up in big games. He had a strip-sack in the semi-finals of the College Football Playoff during the 2024 season, and he also had a strip-sack against the Houston Texans in the Wild Card Round of the playoffs last season. He has made big plays in limited opportunities, and that should give the fan base some optimism about his future.
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Outside linebackers Nick Herbig (left) and TJ Watt (right) during 2025 training camp in Latrobe, PA for the Pittsburgh Steelers.
Steelers Have Some Big Decisions To Make At Outside Linebacker
Herbig is entering the final season of his rookie contract, and it is hard to tell if he would be interested in an extension. He has been stuck playing behind Highsmith and Watt, despite the fact that he has shown star potential. He may want to be the main guy somewhere else, which would be unfortunate for Pittsburgh. However, it could open up more reps for a player like Sawyer, although the franchise would then need to find a replacement for Herbig.
What do you think about Roethlisberger's comments on Sawyer? Let me know on X, @brogannoey!
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