Cleveland’s Dawand Jones earns a nod from NFL.com as he looks to build on his impressive rookie season.
Cleveland Browns general manager Andrew Berry has navigated the past three years without a first-round selection in the NFL Draft thanks to the trade for quarterback Deshaun Watson.
Even without one of the most prized assets in the league, Berry added promising players in cornerback Martin Emerson (third round in 2022), running back Jerome Ford (fifth round in 2022), wide receiver Cedric Tillman (third round in 2023), and defensive tackle Michael Hall Jr.(second round in 2024) and guard Zak Zinter (third round in 2024).
Then there is offensive tackle Dawand Jones, selected in the fourth round of the 2023 NFL Draft, who might turn out to be the best draft pick of the past three seasons.
Jones was forced into action sooner than expected as he replaced right tackle Jack Conklin after Conklin suffered a season-ending injury just 22 snaps into the season. Jones more than held his own and earned a spot on the Pro Football Writer’s All-Rookie Team after finishing second among all rookies in pass-block win rate (86.8 percent).
Jones went down with his own season-ending injury after making nine starts and playing in 11 games, but he showed enough to NFL.com’s Bucky Brooks to be selected to Brooks’ All-Breakout Team on Offense for 2024:
The extra-extra large edge blocker (6-foot-8, 374 pounds) earned rave reviews for his work filling in for Jack Conklin at right tackle. After Conklin went down with a torn ACL in Week 1, Jones played in 11 games, making nine starts, before suffering a season-ending knee injury of his own during a practice session late in the year.
Depending on how Jones, Conklin, and left tackle Jedrick Wills (who is also coming off a season-ending knee injury) progress heading into 2024, the former fourth-rounder might need to beat out veteran competition to claim a spot in the Browns’ starting lineup this September. Still, Jones’ size, strength, and consistent play make him an intriguing talent to track this season.
Jones was called on early in 2023 and showed that he was up to the task before being injured. If he can build on that success this fall, then he should easily become more than just an “intriguing talent” worth tracking.
