Ohio State’s Dre’Mont Jones will play in Rose Bowl, enter NFL Draft

Following the Ohio State Buckeyes’ Big Ten Championship game win, junior defensive lineman Dre’Mont Jones admitted to reporters that he had not yet made up his mind as to whether or not he would play in the Rose Bowl. The trend of potentially high draft picks skipping the final game of their season in order to avoid injury before the NFL Draft process has become more prevalent in recent years, but Jones has decided to buck that trend and finish his Ohio State career in the Granddaddy of Them All.

Despite having another year of eligibility, Jones will leave Columbus following the New Year’s Day bowl to focus on preparing for his NFL career. The defensive tackle racked up 40 tackles in 2018, including 13 for loss and 8.5 sacks. He also recovered three fumbles, had an interception, and scored a touchdown.

Jones is currently projected to be a middle to late first-round draft pick. His former line-mate, Nick Bosa is in the running to be the top pick overall, and OSU quarterback Dwayne Haskins will likely be the first or second QB taken, should he forgo his final two years of collegiate eligibility.

The Buckeyes will take on the Washington Huskies on Jan. 1 from Pasadena, Calif. at 5 p.m. ET in a game broadcast on ESPN.

Congratulations to Dre’Mont, thanks for all of the memories, and we can’t wait to watch you wreak havoc in the NFL!