Browns Breakout star candidate for Preseason Week 1

The Cleveland Browns selected offensive tackle Dawand Jones from Ohio State with the 111th pick in the fourth round of the 2023 NFL Draft. While the offensive line boasts two solid starting tackles in Jedrick Wills and Jack Conklin, Jones was not drafted to merely play a backup/depth role on the team.

True, the Browns picked up the fifth-year option on Wills's contract, and the team extended Conklin through the 2026 season. But Browns GM Andrew Berry has an excellent touch on building the roster for both the present and future, and Jones could be the best of both worlds.

On the field, Jones is instantly recognizable with his 6-foot-8, 375-pound frame. Coming out of Ohio State, Jones was touted for his quickness despite his massive size. In fact, his NFL Draft Prospect Profile had a first or second-round grade on Jones. When Jones fell to the Browns in the fourth round, the hope was the team had just scooped up a future starter.

In the Hall of Fame Game against the New York Jets, Jones played 35 pass-blocking snaps and allowed zero pressures during the game. According to Pro Football Focus (PFF), only one of Jones's snaps was considered a loss against his defender en route to an 81.1 pass-blocking grade for the game.

Jones will be the player I have my eyes on the most in the preseason game against the Washington Commanders. With such an impressive performance in his first-ever action against NFL players, the expectations have soared for Jones. Even though it was the Hall of Fame Game, Jones still faced Bryce Huff, who has 7.5 sacks in three seasons, and Will McDonald, the Jets first-round pick. And he didn't allow a single pressure.

Knowing the injury risk on the offensive line, and considering both Wills and Conklin typically miss time during the season, Jones could have an impact on the field this year in 2023. It's the perfect scenario for a 22-year old rookie learning to play at the NFL level. He gets to learn from the best offensive line coach in the league and an entire starting line of high-level veterans, including potential future Hall of Famer Joel Bitonio.

And if things don't pan out after this season with Wills, Jones could be the next in line to make a claim to the starting left tackle spot in 2024. James Hudson has been slower to develop than fans would have liked, though it's worth mentioning Hudson did convert from a defensive tackle in college and entered the NFL with only eleven starts at the offensive tackle position.

Jones physically looks like a man among boys (even though he's barely over the legal drinking age himself). On Friday night against Washington, I expect him to firmly establish his dominance as one of the top up-and-coming offensive linemen in the league.

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