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Former Ohio State starter may finally be on the path to become one of the best NFL draft steals to be a Buckeye

Originally posted on A to Z Sports | By Brandon Little | Last updated Jun 9, 2025 9:30 AM ET

The path to the NFL is different for everyone, and the journey to making an impact often looks just as varied. Ohio State recently had 14 players selected in the draft—some will thrive, while others may not.

When evaluating a player’s success in the NFL, the timeline is rarely the same. Some athletes are early bloomers who hit the ground running as rookies, while others don’t break out until their third or fourth seasons.

That could be the case for one former Buckeye who made some key changes this offseason to better position himself for success.

Former Ohio State OT Dawand Jones Set for a Stronger 2025 Season with the Cleveland Browns

Dawand Jones has appeared in 21 of a possible 34 games over his first two NFL seasons after being selected in the fourth round of the 2023 NFL Draft.

“Health-wise, I feel better, I should say,” Jones said at Browns OTAs last week. “I feel like I took care of my body a little bit better this offseason. That was the main thing—just making those small adjustments from last year to this year, and working on things to improve. I lost a lot of body fat, and I pride myself on that, so I’m happy about it.”

The Browns currently list Jones at 6-foot-8 and 378 pounds—down significantly from the 400+ pounds he was believed to be playing at last year. He’s reportedly lost around 20 pounds, which could help alleviate some of the joint issues he’s faced. Getting down to the 365–370 range might be a sweet spot if he can continue trimming down.

“Lost a lot of body fat,” Jones said. “I’m kind of the same weight. I would say I lost probably 20 pounds from last year—no range or anything [in terms of playing ability] lost—but definitely lost a lot of body fat.”

With Jedrick Wills Jr. out of the picture in Cleveland, Jones now has a real opportunity to claim the left tackle job and solidify himself as a long-term starter. The door is open in what could be a pivotal season for the former Ohio State standout.

This article first appeared on A to Z Sports and was syndicated with permission.

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