Outside of the quarterback spot, finding a franchise left tackle is among the most important and challenging tasks for every NFL franchise.
If your favorite team is looking to land that kind of player in the early rounds of the 2020 NFL draft, Boise State’s Ezra Cleveland should be among the top players on their list.
Cleveland recently spoke exclusively with Draft Wire about his experience at the NFL Scouting Combine, his unique way of celebrating pancake blocks, and what kind of player he’ll be at the next level.
JM: What was your experience like at the NFL Scouting Combine?
EC: It was definitely a new experience for me. I was trying to just take everything in stride and have a good time. It’s something that you’re only gonna experience once. I was just trying to make the best of it.
JM: You had some incredible results out there. The 4.46 in the 20-yard shuttle and a 7.26 in the 3-cone were actually elite results based on your position. What do you feel is the overall impression you left out there?
EC: I feel like I went out there and did what I wanted to do. The shuttle time was a bit of a letdown for me. I wanted to run a 4.2 because that’s what I was consistently running in training. 4.46 was a good time since it’s not a drill that I was really used to doing. I just did it to the best of my ability.
JM: You consider that shuttle time a letdown? 4.46 was the best result of any O-lineman in attendance.
EC: It was still a really good number, but it was my last drill and my legs were pretty gassed by that point. I was consistently running 4.2’s in training and I ended up getting a 4.46. It’s still pretty good, I guess.
JM: Did you have many formal or informal interviews at the combine?
EC: I had an equal amount of formals and informals. It was probably about 12 of each.
JM: Do you recall any of the teams that you met with formally?
EC: I met with the Browns, Colts, Falcons, Packers, Eagles and Lions. There were a couple more of them but I can’t recall any more than that.
JM: Do you have any private visits or workouts coming up, or is everything scheduled for after the pro day?
EC: I had about four visits lined up. We’ll see what happens with the corona-virus. They’re all scheduled for after my pro day. I also had a few teams coming out here before the pro day to work me out individually. A lot of teams have been pulling their guys off the road. We’ll see what happens.
JM: Who were some of the teams that you were supposed to work out for?
EC: I had Arizona. The Saints were one of them but I think they ended up backing out. I think the Browns backed out as well. I also had the Colts, Atlanta and Tampa Bay.
JM: Was the private visit list different than what you just stated?
EC: Yeah, I was supposed to visit with the Raiders, Browns and the Steelers. We’ll see what happens. Everything is up in the air right now.
JM: What was the strangest question you were asked at the combine?
EC: I didn’t really have any strange questions. They asked a lot of questions about my family and my upbringing. They were just trying to get to know me since I’m just a junior. A lot of people didn’t have a great feel for me until they got a chance to meet me at the combine. I had a lot of questions about my family as everyone was really just trying to get to know me.
JM: What do you enjoy about playing on the offensive line?
EC: I just love the camaraderie that comes with it. It plays such a big role in your success. We were all really close at Boise State. We have really good relationships. When you have a good relationship with your fellow offensive linemen, it just makes the on-field stuff that much easier and more enjoyable. It helped us physically dominate a lot of defensive linemen. We had a lot of fun playing football.
JM: How do you handle speed differently from power?
EC: I feel like speed is easier to stop and handle. Power requires you to use more brute force. It’s tough to explain. With power, you really have to hone in on your strength. Your technique is really important. With speed, you can play with your feet rather than anchoring.
JM: Is there a scheme that you’d be more comfortable playing in at the next level?
EC: Not really. I like to think of myself as a jack-of-all-trades kinda guy. Whatever scheme I get put into, I’m gonna work really hard to excel at it. I’m always gonna work my hardest to be the best player I can be.
JM: What’s your favorite way to demoralize your opponent?
EC: What we did here at Boise State, when we pancaked somebody, if that player had a towel, we’d rip it in half and put it in our pants (laughs). We used to keep those towels and hang them up in our locker room after the game. I had a whole bunch in there by the end of the season (laughs). Our left guard, John Molchon and I, we always hung up a lot of towels in the O-line room.
JM: Do you have a preferred pass set, and do you switch it up throughout the course of a game?
EC: I definitely switch it up based on different scenarios. The down and distance is a good example of that. I’m more of a flat setter. I like getting on a guy right away. It’s all about trying to take him outside of his comfort zone. I wanna take control of the line of scrimmage.
JM: How did practicing and preparing across from Curtis Weaver make you a better player? I imagine you guys had some great battles in practice.
EC: Curtis has a very deep toolbox of moves. He’s an excellent defensive end and a very good pass rusher. Fortunately for me, I only had to go up against him in practice, and we had some great battles. I had a chance to learn from everything he threw at me, and it really prepared me for game-day. I never had to go up against a better pass rusher in a game than I did in practice. Curtis is that good. He definitely made an impact on me and made me a better player. I would like to think that I did the same for him.
JM: When a team uses a draft pick on Ezra Cleveland, what kind of guy are they getting?
EC: They’re getting a hard worker, first and foremost. I’m a do-it-right dude. I’m always gonna do the right thing and I always work my tail off for the guys on the left and right of me. I’m always gonna do my best to never let those guys down.
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