Cleveland Browns Rookie Draft Profile: Dawand Jones

It’s known in football that once a team acquires their starting quarterback, the team needs a solid offensive line up front to protect and block for him. While the Browns starting o-line has been top of the league for several years now, their offensive tackles have missed significant time over the past two seasons. Just like any other position, you need depth and possible future starters. This pick at 111 was exactly that with future starting offensive tackle Dawand Jones. Fans in Ohio know this guy very well considering he started two seasons at right tackle down in Columbus for the Ohio State Buckeyes.

Pros

The first thing off the bat noticeable about Jones is his stature. The nickname “Big Thanos” fits him perfectly, as at the combine he stood in at 6’8 and 374 pounds. 

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Between his stature and long wingspan, Jones is extremely difficult to get around. Even if his footwork isn’t quick enough, his 87 inch wingspan keeps most defenders within his reach. Defenders in college truly struggled to get around Jones in their pass rush and it showed on the stat sheet. Through two years he only allowed three sacks and 11 hurries, most of which happened in 2021.

His ability to finish blocks are the most impressive thing about his game. Even when you think the defender has a step on him, Jones constantly sells out and keeps his feet moving. 

This is extremely important to note considering Deshaun Watson held on to the ball longer than any other starting QB in the league and even if he makes a conscious effort to get the ball out quickly, there will be times his offensive line will have a long period of play between whistles. 

Cons

While Jones has a tremendous size and excellent footwork, he struggles with technique. At times in his collegiate career he was bailed out by his length when defenders got a step on him in their pass rush. With his large frame, he struggles at time with defenders that use their leverage well. That’s troublesome in the NFL because most defensive lineman got to where they are at in this league by utilizing said leverage well. 

Despite his excellent pass blocking stats in college, Dawand Jones does not have a technically sound pass set. He’s is very top heavy and leans forward, making him susceptible to an arm over pass rush. 

He also opens up very quickly instead of getting depth, which could cause trouble at the next level against rushers that can get up the field quickly. With opening up more instead of keeping his frame square, he is vulnerable to pass rushers that cross his face and work inside. This has to be cleaned up quickly as most team run “stunts” or “twists” and don’t have their guys rush just in one gap the entirety of games.

Value At Pick

Looking at what was left on the board at pick 111, Dawand Jones was not only the best choice, but his name stuck out from the rest. Out of the rest of the players, Jones was the only one that had tremendous size and upside. 

When drafting in the later rounds teams usually look for future contributors in years down the line, guys with potential that with the right coaching can be starters in years’ time. With Jones being an offensive tackle, it was the perfect position to invest picking a player that needs time to mold into form. Jones will not start right away, and for now he’ll learn and sit behind Jed Wills and former all-pro Jack Conklin. 

Despite this selection, the Browns still decided to pick up Jed Wills 5th year option for 2024 and Conklin’s contract don’t have an opt out until 2026, so it’s even unclear if Jones will be given an honest shot at a starting position in even a years’ time. With no immediate needs, this decision to develop a player with loads of potential at pick 111 seems like a slam dunk. 

Overall for a 4th round draft pick, Dawand Jones is an absolute steal. Yes, he needs to tweak his technique, but who better to learn from than Bill Callahan, who is one of the best offensive line coaches in the NFL. 

Jones has things you can’t teach- a big frame, the effort to finish blocks, and the athleticism to quickly move his feet. Dawand has already taken strides in the short time that he’s been in the building as he has already lost some extra bodyweight and has been working more on mobility. It was also promising to see Bill Callahan already having Jones take snaps at both right and left tackle, really prepping Jones to be ready for the possible “swing tackle” role for this team. 

With this 4th round selection, the Browns once again handed their offensive line coach a big ball of clay and if it turns out just as well as Ethan Pocic they will have a quality starter on their hands in due time.