Everything you need to know about Dre’Mont Jones from the 2019 NFL Combine

Dre’Mont Jones is a big, fast, strong, athletic defensive tackle. Coming into his redshirt-junior season at Ohio State, he figured to be one of two devastating defensive linemen for the Buckeyes. However, in the third game of the season, Nick Bosa went down with a season-ending injury, meaning that OSU’s opponents would now spend more time designing protections specifically to stop Jones.

Despite offenses’ best efforts, Jones still turned in 13 tackles for loss, 8.5 sacks, a pick-six, and he fell on a fumble for a touchdown in 2018.

Foregoing his senior season, Jones comes into his on-field day at the NFL Combine looking to secure his status as a first-round pick. Part of his appeal, apparently, is in his unique athleticism, as an unnamed team has requested that in addition to working out with the d-linemen, Jones also show what he can do at linebacker. He will ever likely never take a snap at LB in the pros, but being able to show his versatility on such a big stage certainly can’t hurt.

Scouting Report

Here’s what the pros are saying in his NFL Combine Scouting Report:

Overview

Jones is an extremely athletic one-gapping three-technique with the ability to play a disruptive brand of football on all three downs. His potential has never been in doubt, but in 2018 the production finally matched the talent. His body type and playing style will open him up to more feast-or-famine snaps than some of the other defensive tackles in this draft, but in the right scheme, he can become part of a swarm unit that plays on the other side of the ball.

Strengths

Strong desire to be first out of his stance

Good lateral agility and play speed to penetrate gaps

Has a boxer’s stick-and-move hand quickness

Compact, powerful slaps shed blocker’s punch to access their edge

Fluid athlete with bouncy feet for sudden change of direction

Makes clever adjustments of pursuit angles in space

Short-area quickness becomes legit pursuit speed

Possesses three-down traits and talent

Feet and hands work in harmony as a rusher

Can force guards to over-set with head fakes and jab-steps

Shouldn’t take long to develop go-to rush counters

Movement skills and motor to hound quarterbacks with secondary rush

Weaknesses

Top-heavy frame with narrow hips and lower half

Lightweight frame needs muscle and mass for NFL interior

Quick hands could benefit with additional pop in them

Gets too straight-legged during engagement at point of attack

Tall pad level and poor base width hinder contact balance

Big, bully lineman can move him around if they get hands locked in

Below average in freeing himself from down blocks and power

Can be punched off-balance, forcing him to reset his rush attack

Needs to get to counter rush move quicker for improved finished rate

Size and strength concerns could make him one-gap dependent

Measurements

• Height: 6’4”
• Weight: 281 lbs.
• Hand size: 9 5/8”
• Arm length: 33 3/4”

Combine Results

Bench press:

40-yard dash: 5.12 official

Vertical jump:

Broad jump:

20-yard Shuttle:

Position drills:

Interview Notables and Quotables

Draft Projection

With Nick Bosa being injured in the third game of the 2018 season, Dre’Mont Jones faced increased attention from offenses during what proved to be his final season for Ohio State. Despite the increased focus, Jones still showed that he was one of the best defensive lineman in the country.

His size, speed, and athleticism make him an incredibly attractive prospect for an NFL team looking to add a difference-maker from the inside of their defense. With the request for Jones to work out at linebacker as well, his versatility should also be attractive to teams, opening up more opportunities for him.

Jones will likely be a late-first or early-second round pick, and could be one of four Buckeyes to go in Round 1.