The 2023 NFL Draft is in the books, and the Cleveland Browns put together a solid class despite not making a pick in the first two rounds. One interesting selection came in the fourth round, where the Browns took former Ohio State offensive tackle Dawand Jones with the No. 111 overall pick.
Jones is a monster, standing at 6-foot-8 and weighing 374 pounds. As NFL.com's Lance Zierlein so eloquently put it, Jones is a, "human mountain requiring long hikes to navigate." Jones fell a bit farther in the draft than many anticipated, and some thought he could be a first-round pick. As it turns out, he didn't exactly dominate the pre-draft process.
According to SI.com, Jones' pre-draft went "as sideways as possible." There are questions about his weight, and apparently about his handling of the Senior Bowl and pro day. In fact, Jones reportedly told teams his dream was to play in the NBA, not the NFL!
Jones took to Twitter to refute this report, tweeting, "False like where do y'all get this information from."
Jones was a two-time All-Big Ten player that allowed zero sacks and five pressures in 394 pass-block snaps last season. He started 12 games at right tackle in 2022, and was a Second Team AP All-American.
Teams appear to have had questions about his dedication to the game, but the Browns refused to take him off their draft board. Jones' reported pre-draft comments don't guarantee he won't pan out in the league. He possesses what he needs to be a very special player in the NFL, and Cleveland didn't have to use a premier pick to acquire him. Still, it takes incredible dedication to find success in the pros.
