04 May 2023 , 18:34
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Former Ohio State offensive lineman Dawand Jones could not have had a better pre-draft process... until he spoke to NFL teams.
After the college season finishes up in January, those players who are readying themselves for the NFL Draft look to do all they can to rise their stock as they hope to make themselves millions - as the higher you're drafted aligning with the more lucrative the contract is
Around 100 are invited to be in the Senior Bowl, which features some of the best players in the draft going head-to-head against each other in a number of drills. Jones was one of those invited, and took part in drills on day one. On that day, he absolutely dominated - getting the better of every single pass-rusher he came up against.
His day was so impressive, that he chose not to take part in the rest of the week, and sat out of drills - but remained with the players to learn from coaches and cheer on his fellow lineman.
An absolute behemoth of a man, Jones stands at 6'10 and weighing at 360lbs... which some thought might be a problem for him in the NFL - could he handle the speedy pass-rushers, which he somewhat answered at the Senior Bowl.
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After that week, Jones had been projected as a first-round talent by some, with a number of analysts ranking him higher than players taken in the top 20.
But after the first three rounds, Jones remained available, with seemingly everyone wondering why and what had happened for him to fall this low - costing the former Ohio State lineman millions.
Dawand Jones surprisingly fell to the fourth roundIf Jones had been selected in the top 50 as projected, he'd likely have been given up to a $6 million contract. But after falling to he'll likely sign for around $3.9 million on a four-year deal.
A new report from Sports Illustrated has suggested that the reason for his fall was because of his pre-draft interviews with teams. The report stated that Jones told numerous teams his dream was to play in the NBA, not the NFL.
The 21-year-old has moved to deny the report, tweeting: "False like where do y'all get this information from."
Jones was a talented basketball player in high school, and was offered a division one college scholarship. But at his huge size, he chose football - joining the powerhouse programme Ohio State.
One of the better pass protectors in the draft, Jones allowed no sacks in 394 pass blocking snaps - an incredible feat at the college level.
He might have a tough road to start with the Browns though, after the team just extended their right tackle Jack Conklin to a four-year deal - the only position Jones has played in his career.