Bears Host ‘Human Mountain’ OT for Official Visit: Report

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Ohio State right tackle Dawand Jones has taken a top 30 visit with the Chicago Bears.

The Chicago Bears aren’t limiting their scouting efforts to just one of Ohio State’s top offensive tackles in this year’s 2023 NFL draft.

According to Ryan Fowler of The Draft Network, the Bears are hosting former Buckeyes starting right tackle Dawand Jones for a top 30 visit on Tuesday, April 11, after having previously met multiple times with Jones’ former teammate, Paris Johnson Jr.

Jones was a two-year starter at right tackle for Ohio State and allowed zero sacks or hits on quarterback C.J. Stroud over his 763 snaps in 2022. While he is typically ranked lower on draft boards than Johnson — the Buckeyes’ starting left tackle — he could be considered a better positional fit for the Bears if they are specifically seeking to draft a tackle with experience on the right side to play opposite All-Rookie Braxton Jones.

The Bears have also held top 30 visits with Johnson, Georgia’s Broderick Jones and Tennessee’s Darnell Wright — all three of whom project to be first-round selections — along with several other tackle prospects in the 2023 draft class. Chicago currently holds the No. 9 overall selection, but scouting non-top-10 talents is part of the process with general manager Ryan Poles also open to trading back further into the first round.

Dawand Jones Offers Another Trade-Down OT Target

The Bears are unlikely to be interested in Jones with the ninth overall pick given that most of the top offensive tackles in the class — if not all of them — will still be available when they are on the clock, but there are some impressive qualities about him that could tempt Chicago into targetting him.

For starters, Jones brings elite-caliber length and size to the table. He measured in at 6-foot-8 and 374 pounds at the NFL Scouting Combine in March and was the largest offensive lineman in terms of his hands (11.625 inches), arms (36.375 inches) and wingspan (87.875 inches). He also possesses the strength to endure power moves from opposing pass rushers; although, there are legitimate questions about whether all of that is enough for him to overcome a less-than-ideal fit for the Bears’ wide zone scheme.

If the Bears do not move back from the No. 9 spot, there is also always a chance they could trade up in the second round for Jones if he is still on the board. They might need to move into the early 30s to make such a thing happen, but it could be well worth the price of going up if they believe he can be a long-term starter on their offensive line.

Here’s what Lance Zierlein of NFL.com wrote about Jones — whom he referred to as a “human mountain requiring long hikes to navigate” — in his pre-draft profile:

Massive right tackle with rare length but limited athleticism that impacts his consistency. Defenders accustomed to winning with power will need to switch up their approach against Jones. His physical traits help cover up some of his athletic deficiencies, while his power can be better unleashed with accurate hand strikes and a run scheme tailored to what he does best. The former high school basketball standout has decent slide quickness in protection but is unable to find his feet when attempting to match inside counters or stall out gaming fronts. Jones is a work in progress with holes that will have to be covered up with scheme help, but he should become a starting right tackle if he maintains the playing weight his team desires.

Bears Close to Fill Up Their Docket of Top 30 Visits

Here’s a running list of the Bears’ reported top 30 visits:

Deslin Alexandre, DE, Pittsburgh: (Per Ryan Fowler of The Draft Network)

Tyree Wilson, DE, Texas Tech: (Per Josh Schrock of NBC Sports Chicago)

Adetomiwa Adebawore, IDL, Northwestern: (Per Fowler of The Draft Network)

Jalen Carter, IDL, Georgia: (Per Ryan Poles)

Gervon Dexter Sr., IDL, Florida: (Per Aaron Wilson of KPRC2)

Ricky Stromberg, OC, Arkansas: (Per Bleav Network)

Jaelyn Duncan, OT, Maryland: (Per Justin Melo of The Draft Network)

Paris Johnson Jr., OT, Ohio State: (Per Josh Schrock of NBC Sports Chicago)

Broderick Jones, OT, Georgia: (Per Josh Schrock of NBC Sports Chicago)

Dawand Jones, OT, Ohio State: (Per Ryan Fowler of The Draft Network)

Ilm Manning, OT, Hawaii: (Per Justin Melo of The Draft Network)

Jordan McFadden, OT, Clemson: (Per Ryan Roberts of SINow)

Darnell Wright, OT, Tennessee: (Per Ian Rapoport of NFL Network)

Xazavian Valladay, RB, Arizona State: (Per Bears insider Daniel Greenberg)

Brandon Joseph, SAF, Notre Dame: (Per Justin Melo of The Draft Network)

Payne Durham, TE, Purdue: (Per Justin Melo of The Draft Network)

Jayden Reed, WR, Michigan State: (Per Bears insider Daniel Greenberg)

Jonathan Mingo, WR, Ole Miss: (Per Jon Sokoloff of WCBI News)

Jaxon Smith-Njigba, WR, Ohio State: (Per Dan Hope of Eleven Warriors)

Dontayvion Wicks, WR, Virginia: (Per Jacquie Franciulli of 247 Sports)