Cleveland Browns select Ohio State OT Dawand Jones with No. 111 pick of 2023 NFL Draft

BEREA — Browns Director of Player Personnel Dan Saganey could only think of one thing as he looked at the 6-foot-8¼, 374-pound Dawand Jones at Ohio State's Pro Day in March.

"That's the biggest human being I've ever seen," Saganey recalled Saturday afternoon.

Saganey's going to get plenty of up close and personal views of Jones going forward. The Browns selected the big Buckeye with their first pick on day three of the NFL Draft, pick No. 111 in the fourth round.

It's not just the height and weight, either. Jones has an 88-inch wingspan and 36⅜-inch arms.

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"I don't know, I feel like where I'm from, there's bigger people," Jones said. "There's always somebody to match up with, but I thought I was probably much stronger than most people and a little bit more advanced than those guys. Just my body was a little bit better than theirs, you can just take advantage."

The 21-year-old Jones figures to start his pro career in a backup swing tackle role similar to the Browns' 2021 fourth-round pick, James Hudson III. Right tackle Jack Conklin signed a four-year extension last December, but has battled injuries the last two years.

The Browns have a decision to make by Tuesday on whether or not to pick up the fifth-year option on left tackle Jedrick Willis Jr., the No. 10 overall pick in the 2020 draft. He would be due $14.175 million if they do choose to pick up the option for the 2024 season.

"I've played both sides at Ohio State," Jones said. "Just something that we always had a big talk about, being able to jump in and do whatever. Whatever the Browns need me to do, I'm going to do it. I'm just being versatile, just know I'm much of an asset."

Jones, an Indianapolis native and Ben Davis High School graduate, spent four seasons playing for the Buckeyes. He appeared in 41 games, with 27 starts.

Over the last two seasons, he has started all 26 games played. He played right tackle next to right guard Paris Johnson Jr., who was the No. 6 overall pick Thursday night by the Arizona Cardinals.

"I would say it always helps when guys have played both positions in college and the added versatility is a bonus," Saganey said. "Really, like I said, it's a premium position for us, so giving him to (Browns offensive line) Bill (Callahan) and (assistant offensive line coach) Scott (Peters), I think those are the two best O-line guys in the league, in my opinion. Very excited about how he can grow as a player and continue to develop him. Any versatility added is a huge bonus for us as we go through the year."

Jones's opportunity to start the last two years stems from a move made by his Buckeyes teammate and Massillon product Thayer Munford, who was so impressed with Jones' ability that he slid inside from left tackle to left guard. That opened the door for Nicholas Petit-Frere to flip from right tackle to left tackle.

Munford was selected in the seventh round of last year's draft by the Las Vegas Raiders. He played in 17 games with four starts as a rookie.

"He had a great influence," Jones said of Munford. "He helped me all the time. After our first year, I kind of struggled in the offense. He just take me under his wing and he protect me like I was his little brother."

The first love for Jones in high school was basketball, so much so that he was going to commit to play it at Kent State. At the time, few big-time offers were coming in for him.

Jones waited out the early signing period in December of his senior year in 2018. He finally signed with the Buckeyes in February 2019 over offers from Florida, Indiana, Penn State and USC.

"It's helped me a lot, just working on my foot work all the time in basketball," Jones said. "It just translated over to football, so whether a pass or a switch or cutting off the baseline. It translated over and it helped out, it helped me out in the long run."

Chris Easterling can be reached at ceasterling@thebeaconjournal.com. Read more about the Browns at www.beaconjournal.com/sports/browns. Follow him on Twitter at @ceasterlingABJ

This article originally appeared on Akron Beacon Journal: Browns select OT Dawand Jones with No. 111 pick of 2023 NFL Draft