2023 BCS OT/iOL Scouting Report
Player: Dawand Jones
School: Ohio State
Year: Senior
Games Watched: Georgia 2022, Iowa 2022, Michigan 2022
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Pass Protection: Is not the most fluid or quick in his vertical pass sets. Doesn’t cover much ground on his kick slide but uses his extreme length to make up the difference. Rushers using speed to run the arc on him usually meet his hands. Can stonewall rushers on short sets, getting up on rushers before they can gather any type of momentum. Allowed 0 sacks and 4 pressures in 2022. In true pass sets with no play action he allowed only 2 pressures. Hit with 7 penalties with 3 coming in week 1.
Balance: Has a harder time with zone blocking due to lack of foot speed, will lunge and reach at times. Keeps his feet and gets to his spots on pass sets. Pad level will always be high due to him being such a large player. Keeps his head up while engaged. Rarely is on the ground.
Hand Placement: Solid and consistent hands to the chest and arm pit every rep. Makes use of his tremendous wingspan. Is first to shoot his hands and rarely lets them linger on the defenders outside shoulders. Has force in his punch and keeps hands up.
Power: Impressive strength. Gets vertical displacement in the run game. Is able to bench press defenders from a solid base using his arc strength. Has an NFL ready power profile.
Football IQ: Plays within himself. Trusts his technique. Communicates pre snap and keeps an eye out for the blitz. Doesn’t chase when faced with stunts up front.
Anchor: He just isn’t easily moved. Due to his massive frame and weight, rushers will have a difficult time with power rushing. Once he locks in and drops his weight, the rep is essentially over.
Flexibility: Has some lower body stiffness which leads to limited range on his deep pass sets. Has some core flexibility to generate torque when sealing off defenders.
Versatility: Has over 1500 snaps at OT, 170 of those came at LT. Has upside to play on the other side of the line. As he is now he should be much more comfortable on the right side.
Movement Skills: Has underrated movement ability. Standing at 6’8 and weighing 375, high level mobility and movement should not be expected. Still has the technical savvy to get to his spots. Not a player that will be most effective out in space.
Footwork/Foot Speed: Does not have high level foot quickness. Uses his long wing span and wide steps to cover ground. Does show some burst going forward in the run game and with short sets.
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Pass Protection (15) – 14
Anchor (10) – 9
Balance (10) – 8
Flexibility (10) – 7
Hand Placement (10) – 8
Versatility (10) – 7
Power (10) – 9
Movement Skills (10) – 7
Football IQ (5) – 5
Footwork/Foot Speed (10) – 6
Grade: 80/100 Day 1
Summary: Dawand Jones is a massive player that has enough mobility to handle OT duties. I believe Jones can be an immediate starter on the right side. He played a higher amount of zone run plays in college, but I believe Jones translates to a man blocking scheme, getting vertical movement in the run game and short setting against the pass. Jones has the ability to be a plus run blocker and shows the upside against the passer as well.
Report Author: EJ Holt
Twitter: @EJHolt_NFLDraft
