Ohio State’s Dawand Jones To Return For Senior Season

On Jan 18, 2022

With Monday being the last day for underclassmen to declare for the 2022 NFL Draft, Ohio State junior offensive tackle Dawand Jones announced he will return to school for at least one more season.

A former three-star prospect from Indianapolis, Jones just wrapped up his first year as the Buckeyes’ starting right tackle. He was named second-team All-Big Ten by the media and third-team all-conference by the coaches.

The 6-foot-8 and 360-pounder was regularly graded as one of the top players at his position nationally prior to the 42-27 loss to Michigan, when he committed three false start penalties and a sack that stalled an early red zone opportunity. That game ultimately forced Jones to weigh his draft options.

“I would just say looking at where I finished up, looking at film and seeing what I could correct and if it’s good enough to go to the NFL or if I need to come back,” Jones said during his Rose Bowl media availability on Dec. 16. “I feel like I got better at run blocking and staying vertical, but I would say I still need to work on that.”

Jones joins redshirt junior cornerback Cam Brown and junior defensive end Zach Harrison as underclassmen to announce they’ll return for the Buckeyes in 2022. He has two seasons of eligibility remaining after the NCAA granted an extra year to all student-athletes amid the pandemic.

Ohio State will return three starting offensive linemen next season, including Jones, center Luke Wypler and right guard Paris Johnson Jr., who will likely move to his natural position at left tackle with Nicholas Petit-Frere and Thayer Munford off to the NFL.