Ohio State's starting right tackle officially declared for the 2023 NFL draft Wednesday.
New Journey pic.twitter.com/VkqsEVVBII
— Dawand Jones (@dawandj79) January 11, 2023
Dawand Jones already accepted an invitation to the Senior Bowl last month, essentially sealing his fate as an outgoing Buckeye by season's end, but the 6-foot-8 offensive lineman has now formally released a statement to announce his decision.
Jones was named an All-American by four news outlets after the 2022 regular season, including first-team recognition from Pro Football Focus and CBS Sports and second-team honors from the Associated Press and Sporting News.
ESPN ranks Jones the sixth-best offensive tackle prospect in the upcoming draft class and the No. 44 overall player on its best available board.
Jones' announcement follows draft declarations from both Paris Johnson Jr. and Luke Wypler on Tuesday, which means Ohio State must replace both of its starting tackles and its starting center in 2023. The Buckeyes got a big boost earlier on Wednesday, though, as starting guard Matt Jones opted to return for another season at Ohio State in 2023.
