Dawand Jones Scouting Report: An Egregiously Large Tackle

Dawand Jones is one of those prospects that’s gained much attention just for being so unique. With a historical wingspan of 89.5″ and a 6’8, 375 lb frame, his game has an unexpected element of quickness. He didn’t see full-time starting reps until his Junior year but stuck out immediately on an uber-talented team. In 2022, he didn’t give up one sack or hurry and, more impressively, was a dominant run blocker. Jones has enate traits that NFL teams covet, but he comes with unusual circumstances. We dive into his tape and see where he projects in this upcoming draft.

Four all-22 games were evaluated, and clips from his film are broken down here. All relevant traits were graded based on his film. His scouting report also factored in stats and analytics, such as PFF grades. Use promo code TREYSCHNEIDER on Underdog Fantasy to match your deposit up to $100. Please gamble responsibly and leave your feedback on Twitter @FBIntellect.

Clip Analysis

In this clip above, Dawand Jones has back-to-back impressive reps against Isaiah Foskey, another draft prospect this year. He shows an excellent anchor here.

In this one, he flashes a dominant rep against the EDGE rusher in pass-pro. He grabs ahold of his shoulder with his left and clutches his chest with his other, then aggressively rips him down to the ground. He essentially traped the right arm of the EDGE.

In this Twitter clip, he shows how light his feet are and how well he can handle speed for a big man.

Grades

Traits/ Skills (see bottom of the page for scale)

Each trait/attribute is graded 1-7.

Player Notes

Dawand Jones Bio

• Dawand Jones is an unusual and standout Tackle as he is preposterously large with surprising feet. He is limited to a gap/inside zone scheme, but his upside is remarkable. He is currently the 45th-best player on the FBI Draft Big Board.

Pros

• Has a dominant reach advantage; he’s almost always getting his hands on the defender first
• Enormous and ultra-powerful hands.
• Length is so preposterous it allows him to block the corner relatively easily.
• Uses his gigantic hands to pull off snatch and trap moves against pass rushers.
• Extraordinarily mighty arms – can move defenders like they’re nothing.
• His play strength shows in his anchor.
• Has just enough quickness to get into the second level.
• Surprisingly light-footed for his size.
• Didn’t allow one sack or hurry in his final year.
• Flashed some dominant reps across the games I watched.

Cons

• Won’t ever be a good blocker on screens and outside runs.
• Poor balance – he often found himself on the ground.
• His ability to handle speed and bend is limited due to top-heaviness and a lack of foot quickness.
• He has little experience playing in a gap scheme, which is where he projects.
• A bit of liability to get penalties – he had 16 over his final two seasons.
• A lot of inconsistency is seen on tape.

Final Conclusion

Drafting Dawand Jones is an inherent risk but one worth taking. The physical traits paired with the outstanding film from a competitive conference are why you take a chance on him. However, he’s not for everybody. Teams who use a wide-zone offense won’t be able to use him, but any other team needing a Tackle would be unwise to pass him up in the top 45. If Tackles go early and he fits your scheme, I’d even take him in round one.

Combine

40 yd: 5.35

Ten yd-split: 1.92

Shuttle:

Three-cone:

Broad:

Bench:

Arm Length: 36 3/8″

Hand Size: 11 5/8″

Scales And Keys

Grading Key

POT – Potential: players’ highest upside

IMP – Impact: player’s immediate impact