5 reasons to be excited the Seattle Seahawks drafted Ohio State’s Jamarco Jones

With the No. 168 pick in the 2018 NFL Draft, the Seattle Seahawks picked offensive tackle Jamarco Jones out of Ohio State. He was initially expected to be a Day 2 pick, but after falling to the end of the fifth round, Jones finally got the call to Seattle.

So, why should you be excited the Seahawks drafted Jones? We’ve got you covered:

1. Paves the way for the rushing game to flourish

If you draft someone to hold the fort down at the line, then you want guys that have proven they can handle the responsibility. Spoiler: Jones has done exactly that.

While he was blocking for run lanes, the rushing attack flourished. Granted, when you have guys like Mike Weber and J.K. Dobbins handling the carries, they don’t need much room before breaking away downfield, but Jones was still a big factor.

In the four years Jones was saw action on the field, OSU had a top-20 running game. Last season, the Scarlet and Gray had the 17th best rushing attack; over the last three seasons, though, the Bucks have led the Big Ten when it came to moving the ball on the ground.

A big reason for that success was Jones.

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2. He backed up Taylor Decker

Before he took over the reigns on the O-line, he watched one of the best lineman in the Urban Meyer years do work. Taylor Decker was the predecessor to Jones, and he not only had a great college career, but a great start to his NFL career, too. Decker ended up as a first round pick in the 2016 draft —and played 100% of snaps his rookie season—, so it’s not like Jamarco was backing up a guy who didn’t standout to scouts.

On top of that, Jones is in good company. Other notable left tackles to don the Scarlet and Gray include Mike Adams, Alex Boone and Jack Mewhort. All three of them spent at least a few seasons in the league.

3. Tons of starts, and time at the line of scrimmage

A mainstay at the line of scrimmage, Jones started in 27 consecutive games and played in 50 games over the course of his Ohio State career. Those 27 starts at left tackle came over his junior and senior seasons.

Experience on a team that has had a perpetual revolving door of NFL-grade talent is always a good sign. Last season, Jones picked up first-team all-Big Ten honors—so the experience has paid off.

4. Consistent star in the Big Ten

In the 2016 season, one where the Buckeyes ended up in the College Football Playoff, Jones picked up second-team all-Big Ten honors. So, for him to pickup first-team honors last season shouldn’t be too surprising.

A constant growth in talent is to be expected, and Jones has displayed that on the field, as well as in practice. With constant stars being churned out through the Buckeye coaching staff, any starter has to constantly be at the top of their game, or risk being overtaken by an underclassman. Jones never faced that problem or had to be part of a rotational line, as he was the go-to at LT for the Buckeyes.

5. Protector of the QB

Keeping the quarterback upright is one of the goals of the offensive line. Additionally, giving your QB time to make throws is also on the checklist of “things that need to be done” for a successful offense.

J.T. Barrett is coming off a 3,000-yard passing season, thanks to the line giving him support. Jones played a role in making sure the three-time captain could move the offense in the air—and at times, on the ground.

Draft analysts also agree with Jones’ ability to do well in passing situations. Just look at what Pro Football Focus analyst Mike Renner said of Jamarco.

The NFL has premier QBs all around. Now in Seattle, he'll be protecting Russell Wilson—a Super Bowl winning QB. If Jones can protect the blindside and alleviate any feelings of pressure, then the offense can flourish.

Any concerns about Jones?

His NFL Draft Combine was not good. He ran the third slowest 40-yard time (5.50 seconds) and had the second slowest 3-cone drill amongst offensive lineman. Some days, you just don’t have it, and for Jones, that appeared to be the case when he was in Indianapolis for the combine.

Taking an in-depth look at one event may cause more hysteria and over-thinking when it comes to evaluating potential NFL talent. Reading the tea leaves from shuttle times, 3-cone tests and 40-yard dashes may bring an incorrect portrayal of the prospect being evaluated.

With Jones now finding a home in the NFL, we’ll see how accurate of a representation his combine numbers were, as he works his way through training camp.