![](https://staticg.sportskeeda.com/editor/2023/04/0ef01-16826802762402-1920.jpg?w=190 190w, https://staticg.sportskeeda.com/editor/2023/04/0ef01-16826802762402-1920.jpg?w=720 720w, https://staticg.sportskeeda.com/editor/2023/04/0ef01-16826802762402-1920.jpg?w=640 640w, https://staticg.sportskeeda.com/editor/2023/04/0ef01-16826802762402-1920.jpg?w=1045 1045w, https://staticg.sportskeeda.com/editor/2023/04/0ef01-16826802762402-1920.jpg?w=1200 1200w, https://staticg.sportskeeda.com/editor/2023/04/0ef01-16826802762402-1920.jpg?w=1460 1460w, https://staticg.sportskeeda.com/editor/2023/04/0ef01-16826802762402-1920.jpg?w=1600 1600w, https://staticg.sportskeeda.com/editor/2023/04/0ef01-16826802762402-1920.jpg 1920w)
Dawand Jones is an American football player who plays in the position of an offensive tackle. He hails from Indianapolis, Indiana, and attended Ben Davis High School back home. Dawand Jones is a gifted athlete with a towering frame of 6 feet and 8 inches. Jones excelled in both basketball and football and held Division I in both sports at school.
Dawand Jones decided to pursue football at the college level, joining the Ohio State University’s college football team. As a true freshman Jones appeared for nine games for the Ohio State Buckeyes and by his junior season he was also named to the All-Big 10 Team. After completing his senior season with the Buckeyes, Dawand Jones entered the NFL Draft in 2023. Jones is one of the highly graded offensive tackles of the 2023 NFL Draft class.
In 11 games he played during his senior year with the Buckeyes, he didn't allow a single rush or QB sack. Jones, who stands at a towering 6-foot-8 and weighs 374 pounds, can more than hold his defensive assignment at arm's length for the entire game. He completed his 28-game collegiate career, which included 14 starts at right tackle.
According to the scouting report from the NFL Combine, Jones' size suggests that he will fit in the NFL well. Jones has a history of domination in that area, making him a great option for teams looking to increase their success in the run game. His experience playing basketball has undoubtedly improved his footwork and lateral mobility on the gridiron, which have consistently been weak points for lineman selected with comparable heights in recent drafts. He was instrumental in C.J. Stroud's protection last season, so pass protection is second nature to him by now.
Dawand Jones’ Parents
There is not a lot of information available regarding Dawand Jones’ family and even throughout his college football career, Jones kept his family life very private. Although it is not confirmed, Dawand Jones comes from a large family, consisting of his parents, brothers, and grandmother. His family can be spotted in a picture from Twitter he posted in 2021.
It is known that Dawand Jones’ mother is Deanna Jones, who raised him in Indianapolis. His mother had stated that Jones was often ridiculed as a child for being extremely tall, as he reached the height of 6 feet by the time he was 12.
Deanna Jones, Dawands’ mother calls him by his middle name Valdez, as there are other Dawand’s in their family too. She also stated in an interview how Dawand Jones used to “eat, sleep and breathe” basketball as a child and that is what he wanted to play professionally, while growing up.