The Broncos have been looking for an upgrade at the left tackle position since well before the mistake of drafting Garett Bolles in the first round of the 2017 draft.
They could finally find that upgrade in the highly-athletic Ezra Cleveland, who got his start wrestling and playing on the defensive line in high school.
After making the switch to the offensive side of the ball, where he caught the eye of Boise State coaches
Positives
Agility is the name of the game when it comes to Ezra Cleveland.
He finished third among offensive linemen in the 40-yard dash but finished with the best time in the 20-yard shuttle and three-cone drill. His quick feet make it easier for him to get set in pass protection.
This agility also makes him excellent at getting to the second level of the defense and making blocks downfield. He could be one of the league’s best swing tackles as a rookie if he’s not ready to take over the starting left tackle job.
That being said, he probably could start from day one if he was required to. Cleveland was a three-year starter at Boise State and that experience should serve him well at the next level.
Negatives
Ezra Cleveland could work out for the Denver Broncos, but they are far from his ideal landing spot.
Right now, Cleveland is a one-trick-pony who is all about finesse and quickness at the position and is seriously lacking in the strength and power department. You’ll often see him bullied by stronger, power rushers and pushed back into the quarterback.
Not only his functional strength a concern, but he lacks a sturdy enough base once he’s planted. He’s able to get set quickly, but he’s unable to fully secure himself against opposing defenders.
While he’s an excellent swing blocker, he struggles to pave the way for the running game on the first level of the defense because of his strength deficiencies.
He also needs to improve his hand usage quite a bit as defenders are able to get off him too easily. You rarely ever see him lock down a pass-rusher and hold him in place or push him to the ground.
Verdict
If the Broncos were still drafting for Rich Scangarello’s version of the zone-blocking scheme, they couldn’t do any better than Ezra Cleveland in the second round of this draft.
Now that they’re running Pat Shurmur’s offensive scheme, which utilizes way less zone-blocking concepts, it seems there are better options available. Cleveland’s lack of size and strength were problems at the Mountain West and he’ll need time to bulk up before he’s ready to play at the pro level.
Draft Projection: Late-first/Early-second round
Player Comp: Andre Dillard
