Ohio State OL Matthew Jones returning for 2023 season
Ohio State starting right guard Matthew Jones announced Wednesday he will be returning to Columbus for his final season of eligibility.
“Although I have dreams and aspirations to play in the NFL, my college chapter does not close here. With that being said, I will be returning to the Ohio State University for the 2023 season. It’s God’s plan and the brotherhood,” Jones said in a statement. I have unfinished business to take care of.”
This past season, Jones earned second-team All-Big Ten honors from both the media and the coaches.
He is originally from New York and attended Brooklyn (N.Y.) Erasmus Hall. Jones was the No. 72 overall recruit in the 2018 cycle, according to the On3 Consensus, a complete and equally weighted industry-generated average that utilizes all four major recruiting media companies.
Spencer Holbrook of Lettermen Row previewed the decision last week as one of five key decisions from draft-eligible players.
“Another Ohio State offensive lineman to watch with an NFL Draft decision: starting guard Matthew Jones,” Holbrook wrote of the then-potential return. “The fifth-year Buckeyes guard has one additional year to use because of the NCAA Covid year, clearing the path for Jones to return and start for a second year on one of the best interior offensive lines in America. Jones has been a steady piece of the equation on the offensive line for years. With another campaign to prove his ability to NFL Draft scouts, he could become an even more coveted prospect. Or he could choose to get to the next step of his football career after five seasons at Ohio State.”