NFL teams are always looking for offensive tackles who can keep their quarterback protected, and this draft class figures to offer a handful of such talents. One of them is the mammoth of a man, Dawand Jones, out of Ohio State. Let’s dive into the tape to see how Jones projects to the NFL!
Strengths: At 6’8” and 374 pounds, Jones is a mammoth of a man and an absolute stone wall of a blocker. His anchor is as good as it gets, as no defensive lineman is capable of driving him back. He is surprisingly good at sealing the edge as well, showing off impressive quickness for his size. Though his lateral range may still be slightly restricted compared to smaller, faster blockers, the little he gives up is made up for by his length and his ability to extend his arms to prevent rushers from getting around him at the top of their arc. Jones typically gains the advantage early in the rep, using his length to land a strong, effective punch that destabilizes his opponent. He very consistently gets into the defender’s chest and rarely gives up his own chest. Once Jones latches, he almost always sustains his block through the whistle, using his elite grip strength to his advantage. He possesses great pop in his hands and can send defenders to the ground upon initial contact. Jones’s power translates to the run game, in which he mauls and even occasionally pancakes defenders. Jones possesses a good play demeanor, finishing blocks regularly and constantly looking to pick up a block. Jones dominated on the first day of Senior Bowl practices and may have been the best player in attendance before missing the remainder of the week with injury.
Weaknesses: Although Jones rarely gets beat by getting pushed back or by letting a rusher around the edge, he does get beat inside sometimes. Part of this issue is technical due to a high pad level which narrows his base and because he oversets at times, while part of it is that he is not quite as agile as some smaller, nifty rushers who can quickly redirect their rush inside. Jones fails to sustain blocks when his quarterback escapes the pocket at times. In the run game, Jones is usually contained to a phone booth rather than being asked to block to the second level. He is quick enough to reach the second level but struggles to gather and latch onto a target.
Bottom Line: Jones’s tape is extremely impressive. His great size and strength make him impossible to move in pass protection and a dominant mauler in the run game. He is athletic for his size too and combines his lateral quickness with good use of his length to seal the edge effectively in pass protection. Though he could protect his inside shoulder better, the biggest issue with Jones’s projection is not any weakness he shows on tape but rather the lack of a precedent of an offensive tackle of that size succeeding in the NFL. While this concerns me to a certain extent, Jones’s excellent tape should not be disregarded and he should be considered a first-round talent who belongs in the first tier of tackles in this draft class. Jones can become a Pro-Bowler in the NFL.
