Having an offensive lineman who excels in either run blocking or pass blocking is beneficial, but having one who can perform reliably in both scenarios is even more advantageous.
By selecting offensive tackle Christian Jones from Texas in the 2024 NFL Draft, the Las Vegas Raiders could acquire such a prospect. Jones, who started 13 games at right tackle in his last season with the Longhorns, played a pivotal role in an offensive line that contributed to the nation’s ninth-best offense, averaging 477.5 yards per game.
His team’s success was further recognized by being named a semifinalist for the Joe Moore Award, an accolade reserved for the nation’s top offensive line units. Additionally, Texas claimed the Big 12 title and secured a spot in the College Football Playoff as the No. 3 seed, ultimately finishing third in the final AP Poll.
The addition of Christian Jones, a versatile offensive tackle adept at both pass and run-blocking, would greatly benefit the Las Vegas Raiders. In recognition of his impressive performance in 2023, Jones earned an All-Big 12 Honorable Mention.
Pro Football Focus assigned him an overall grade of 75.2, with specific grades of 75.2 in run-blocking, 78.1 in pass-blocking, and 82.6 in zone blocking for the 2023 season.
In the preceding season, Jones served as the starting right tackle for all 13 games, contributing to the blocking efforts for running back Bijan Robinson, who claimed the Doak Walker Award and emerged as a finalist for Offensive Rookie of the Year in the recent NFL season.
Robinson amassed impressive stats with 1,580 rushing yards, 18 touchdowns, along with 314 receiving yards and two receiving touchdowns on 19 receptions.
Jones earned recognition as an All-Big 12 Honorable Mention during this period. He also started in all 12 games in the 2021 season and every game in the 2020 season for Texas.
His involvement in the 2019 season comprised 13 games after a non-participatory 2018 season, which marked his initial year with the program. The NFL Scouting Combine is scheduled to take place from February 27 to March 4, 2024, at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis, Indiana.