A review and breakdown of predictions for the Green Bay Packers in final mock drafts from a few of the most prominent draft analysts in the business:
The mock draft: Luke Easterling, Draft Wire
The pick: OT Ezra Cleveland, Boise State
The reasoning: “Cleveland is a tough competitor, and one who enjoyed stealing his opponents’ towels after a pancake block and hanging them in the locker room as trophies. That’s the kind of mentality that gets an offensive line coach to stand on the table for you in the (virtual) draft room. With Bryan Bulaga gone via free agency, Cleveland gives Green Bay a solid replacement to make sure Aaron Rodgers stays upright for the foreseeable future.”
Our breakdown: Cleveland won’t be for every team, but he’s almost certainly on the Packers’ radar. He has three years of high-quality pass-blocking production at left tackle and elite athleticism. His short shuttle time of 4.46 seconds projects a high potential of success at the next level. There are some concerns – Cleveland didn’t face elite competition, and he might be lacking play strength – but he’s an easy mover who consistently gets the job done on the edge and can block on the move in the zone run game. Even if he needs some time to get stronger and adjust to the pro game, Cleveland’s ceiling is high. Some may worry he’s Jason Spriggs 2.0, but he has the potential to be the next Lane Johnson or Jake Matthews.
The player info
Height: 6-6
Weight: 311
40-yard dash: 4.93
Vertical leap: 30″
Broad jump: 111″
Three-cone: 7.26
Short shuttle: 4.46
Bench press: 30
RAS: 9.93
Our draft profile: Ezra Cleveland
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Draft Wire’s interview: “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,” Cleveland said.
Highlights:
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