2023 NFL Draft: Could Ohio State's Dawand Jones Replace Jawaan Taylor?

With Jawaan Taylor leaving for the Chiefs, could the Jaguars look to Dawand Jones at No. 24 overall to replace him?

The 2023 NFL Draft season is upon us.

Among the 32 teams building their rosters to compete for the next Lombardi Trophy is the Jacksonville Jaguars, who hold nine picks in this season’s draft -- including the No. 24 overall pick.

As we march closer and closer to April’s draft, we will look at individual draft prospects and how they would potentially fit with the Jaguars. Instead of looking at any negatives, we are going to look at what the players do well and if they could match what the Jaguars need at the specific role or position.

Next up: Ohio State right tackle Dawand Jones.

Overview

An Indianapolis native, Jones is one of the rare Ohio State prospects who is entering the draft without a major high school pedigree. Jones was ranked a three-star prospect by 247Sports, with the site ranking him as the nation's No. 86 offensive tackle, the No. 13 player in Indiana, and the No. 1,043 player overall in the class of 2019.

Jones received 21 offers before committing to the Buckeyes, turning down programs like Penn State, USC, Auburn, Florida, Florida State, Louisville, Michigan, Texas, TCU, Oregon, and Mississippi State.

Jones appeared in 15 games in his first two seasons on campus before becoming a full-time starter in 2021, starting 14 games at right tackle and earning second-team all-Big Ten Conference (media) honors. Jones then returned as a senior, starting 11 games at right tackle and earning an invite to the Reese's Senior Bowl. 

What Dawand Jones Does Well

Jones simply serves as a mountain between pass-rushers and the quarterback. You can try going through him or around him, but it won't happen easily or quickly. Jones has rare size and length at tackle and he plays to it, effectively using his massive size and record-breaking wingspan to keep pass-rushers at bay. He moves quickly off the snap for a big man, quickly getting into his set and making first contact more often times than not. 

Jones is able to completely engulf defenders as a pass-protector once he wins with his length. He knows he is a long and massive tackle who won't beat anyone with speed to the edge, so he does a good job of controlling the rush once he makes contact, using grip strength and his brute power to throw off the momentum of a rusher. He can stop a rush on impact and plays with terrific power in his hands, delivering one of the most effective punches of any tackle in the class. 

As a run-blocker, Jones is able to play to his strengths and completely bury smaller linemen. He does a great job of keeping his feet moving on contact to create space and separation as a run-blocker, playing with lighter feed than one would think of a big tackle. Jones isn't restricted to just power running schemes, however, as he also displayed the ability to reach defensive ends on zone-based plays and also get out in space on tosses and RPOs. 

How Dawand Jones Would Fit With the Jaguars

Jacksonville has a clear hole at right tackle after Jawaan Taylor left for an $80 million deal with the Kansas City Chiefs. The Jaguars do have former second-round pick Walker Little on hand to potentially replace Taylor, but they could deem Little a better fit inside or at left tackle after he played just 20 snaps at right tackle in 2022.

"You hated to see him go, but I get it, that's part of our business, right. And that's what's gonna happen. Listen, I wish him all the best and success in Kansas City. And you know, but now for us, it's about moving forward," Jaguars head coach Doug Pederson said at this year's annual Owners Meetings. "You know, Walker Little, it's a great opportunity for him, you know, to step up."

But in the event the Jaguars want to add competition to right tackle and ensure they once again enter a season with great offensive tackle depth, then Jones would make a lot of sense. He fits what the Jaguars look for in their tackles from a size and length perspective and his two years of starting experience in a balanced offense means he can likely start at right tackle right away, even if there will likely be some bumps in the road here and there.

Verdict

It is hard not to think of Dawand Jones as a player Jaguars general manager Trent Baalke would be high on. There are not many players who have entered the NFL with Jones' pure size, wingspan and mass, but he does bear some resemblance on the field to former San Francisco 49ers draft pick Trent Brown. 

Overall, Jones isn't the sleek, athletic, zone tackle that many teams look for in the first-round, but he has all of the tools to be an effective starting right tackle. He knows how to use his frame and length to keep speed rushers at bay and he has shown the type of footwork in a phone booth of a tackle of a much smaller size. He can be a starter at right tackle instantly as long as he keeps his conditioning in check, which makes him a logical option for No. 24 overall in this draft class.

For all of our 2023 NFL Draft profiles, click below.

• CB Kelee Ringo, Georgia
• CB/S Brian Branch, Alabama
• TE Michael Mayer, Notre Dame
• CB Cam Smith, South Carolina
• S Antonio Johnson, Texas A&M
• TE Darnell Washington, Georgia
• DL Bryan Bresee, Clemson
• CB Clark Phillips, Utah
• CB Devon Witherspoon, Illinois
• OG O'Cyrus Torrence, Florida
• CB Deonte Banks, Maryland
• EDGE Lukas Van Ness, Iowa
• DL Adetomiwa Adebawore, Northwestern
• EDGE Nolan Smith, Georgia