Jones played along the offensive line for the Michigan Wolverines in 39 games over his five seasons there, making 10 starts.
Trente Jones, a fifth-year offensive tackle for Michigan, made his NFL Draft selection on Monday afternoon, choosing to enter the draft rather than play a sixth season in Ann Arbor. This past season, in 139 pass-blocking snaps, the 6-foot-4, 310-pound player showed off his skills as a reserve right tackle, allowing only three quarterback pressures.
Jones played along the offensive line for the Michigan Wolverines in 39 games over his five seasons there, making 10 starts. Throughout his career, he played 1,138 snaps, mostly at right tackle.
Though he lived a long time in Ann Arbor, his performance in the Wolverines’ final four games may be what many remember him for most.
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He helped the Wolverines close out a 30-24 win against the Buckeyes, then was even better in the postseason, allowing just one quarterback pressure in three games against Iowa, Alabama and Washington. In run-blocking, Michigan averaged a healthy 278 rushing yards on 33 carries either to Jones’ right or left.
After his coaches expressed the need for offensive line depth all season, Jones showed the value of it on college football’s biggest stages.
“Me personally, I knew there was going to be a time where I was going to have to step up,” Jones told 247Sports earlier this month. “With each day, without knowing that you could possibly be going in and preparing for that, you could go in and be pounded. So (I prepared) and Ohio State, I went in, and we didn’t miss a beat. I always focused on knowing that I could be the next guy.”
“It’s a team effort, and knowing that the end goal was a national championship was key for me. It’s not about any individual goals of mine, it’s about the team. Because when the team’s doing good, you’re doing good. What’s good for the bee is good for the hive.”
Jones, who turned 23 on Monday, was awarded his undergraduate degree last year and has also been chosen Academic All-Big Ten four times. He was going to get his master’s in social work this autumn.
