The Cleveland Browns improved to 6-3 on Sunday, and although injuries have been a problem, this player has helped out across the offense. Offensive lineman Dawand Jones, a 6’8, 374-pound rookie from Ohio State, has been arguably one of the better players on not just the offense but the team. After being very successful at Ohio State and essentially never making a mistake, he was drafted by the Cleveland Browns in the 2023 NFL Draft. Offensive lineman Dawand Jones fell to the fourth round and was the 111th pick overall, but has played better than a vast group of guys picked before him.
RT Dawand Jones with a pancake pic.twitter.com/Zja8gY7oa5
— Billy M (@BillyM_91) September 17, 2022
Part of this immediate success could have been expected, as he was likely to get featured with goal-line units and other big plays. However, with injuries to the line as soon as week two, Jones was thrown into the fire early. In just week two against the Pittsburgh Steelers, Jones was tasked with entering the game after an injury to Jack Conklin. Conklin was ruled out on September 12th for the season, and since then the Browns have seen lineman injuries to multiple other players. Jones missed the previous outing against the Ravens but is expected to return soon, with his presence missed dearly for the offense.
Offensive lineman Dawand Jones is a great athlete, especially for his size. He was a great basketball player in high school, which showed he had great speed, hands, and ability to move quickly. Jones decided to play football even with multiple Division One basketball offers and took his chance with Ohio State. He left the Buckeyes having made a huge impact on their offense. Jones did not see much time even as a Sophomore either. He appeared in just three games and totaled 80 snaps. In his junior year, he saw improvement as he played in 13 games and 791 total snaps. Lots of snaps but gave up just a handful of quarterback hurries and three sacks.
Dawand Jones this season:
296 pass blocking snaps
2 sacks
The #Browns rookie has been a WALL. The #OSU product was our 23rd ranked prospect. He went in round 4….
pic.twitter.com/NfUoincjAm
— SCOUTD (@scoutdnfl) November 13, 2023
Senior year is where offensive lineman Dawand Jones made his mark. Featuring in 11 games and 693 snaps for the scarlet and gray. What was impressive about his consistent play was that he only allowed now-NFL quarterback C.J. Stroud to get hurried four times. Additionally, Jones finished the year without giving up a single quarterback hit or sack.
He earned All-American honors while playing at Ohio State. A big part of one of the best offenses and passing attacks in recent memory. Jones kept this success up when he joined the Browns. He has been a literal big part of the line and running success. He has already played 538 snaps which is 36th-best in the league. Discipline-wise he has had just two penalties which is impressive playing in a new system with more talented defenses. Additionally, he has given up just two sacks which is tied for 37th in the league.
With the Browns sitting pretty at 6-3, Jones will hope to return in the near future. The team should be happy to get one of their big pieces back with playoff aspirations in the future. As for Jones, he is gaining confidence and trust in his abilities every week. He could be a long-term starter in the pros if he keeps playing as well as he has.
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