Browns rookie offensive tackle Dawand Jones was listed 359 at Ohio State last season. At the Scouting Combine, he weighed in at 374. At Ohio State’s Pro Day, he declined to step on the scale. That led to some talk that his weight was going to be a hindrance in the NFL.
But the 6-foot-8 Jones, who was drafted by the Browns in the fourth round, says he’s getting his weight down. Jones acknowledged that he has some weight to lose, but he’s working on it.
“I’m not where I want to be, but I’m on track,” Jones said, via Mary Kay Cabot of Cleveland.com. “I’m just losing weight every week, you know what I mean? Two pounds. It’s just what I need to do every week to be better.”
Jones has faced questions about whether he’s passionate about football, and prior to the draft he denied a report that his real goal was to make it in the NBA, not the NFL. He says he loves playing football and the people who watch him play can see that.
“I told almost every team, turn on tape and you can just see it on my film,” he said. “I play with that anger and aggression. It just comes from the heart. You just don’t want nobody to touch the quarterback and that’s my main goal.”
Jones has admittedly struggled with his conditioning, and he threw up on the field at the rookie minicamp. But the Browns believe he has the talent to be a good pro offensive tackle, if he gets in shape and stays in shape.