Tag: Ezra Cleveland

Chargers select future signal-caller, double dip in trenches in CBS Sports’ 3-round mock draft

The Los Angeles Chargers stack deck on the offensive side of the ball in CBS Sport’s latest three-round mock draft.

The Los Angeles Chargers are gearing up for the start of free agency, but the focus still revolves around what the franchise is going to do in the 2020 NFL Draft.

Free agency will play a part of how they’re going to go about their draft, but at the moment, addressing the quarterback position and offensive line will be the main focal point.

In CBS Sports’ latest three-round mock draft, the Bolts did that with their first three selections, with them using their No. 6 overall selection on Utah State quarterback Jordan Love.

Here’s a look at how the rest of the mock draft panned out:

  1. No. 6, QB Jordan Love, Utah State
  2. No. 37, OT Ezra Cleveland, Boise State
  3. No. 71, OL John Simpson, Clemson

Love is arguably the most polarizing quarterback in this year’s draft. His ability to make any throw on the field from multiple set points is very impressive, but he needs to improve his decision-making process and accuracy at the next level.

Love would benefit from sitting behind Tyrod Taylor for a year in order to correct those weaknesses to his game before taking over as the team’s starting quarterback.

The Chargers could benefit from Cleveland’s athleticism at the position. He needs to improve his play strength in the run game, but his balanced athleticism and loose movement skills allow him to stymie different types of rushers off the edge.

In his rookie season, he would be capable of filling in an immediate void at right tackle or competing for starting reps at left tackle now that Russell Okung is no longer on the team.

Finally, the Bolts shore up their offensive line with Simpson. He possesses the competitiveness and character that the Chargers covet.

The former high school state wrestler has extremely strong hands and does whatever it takes to finish his blocks as a run blocker. He has a really powerful anchor and sound technique in pass protection.

Simpson would offer competition at the guard spot, possessing the skillset to start in Year 1.

Tennessee Titans take Boise State OT in PFF’s post-combine mock draft

According to Pro Football Focus, the Titans will take an offensive lineman in the first round.

The Tennessee Titans might be in the market for a right tackle this offseason if Jack Conklin moves on in free agency.

Should that happen, there’s a good chance Dennis Kelly will be retained to take his spot, but the Titans would be wise to explore other options in the 2020 NFL Draft, also.

In his latest mock draft, Pro Football Focus’ Michael Renner has the Titans taking Boise State offensive lineman Ezra Cleveland with the No. 29 overall pick.

Athletes like Cleveland simply don’t last long in the draft. He’s not perfect in pass pro by any means, but he’s had grades over 80.0 each of the past three seasons. With the best three-cone (7.26) and shuttle (4.46) of all the offensive linemen at the combine, Cleveland has elite movement skills to protect QBs in the NFL.

I’ve been of the opinion that the Titans will target either EDGE or cornerback in the first round, but if a prospect like Cleveland is sitting out there at No. 29, he may be too good to pass up.

One of the biggest positives you read about Cleveland in scouting reports is his outstanding athleticism, which is a great fit in the Titans’ zone-blocking scheme.

Drafting Cleveland wouldn’t be an immediate fix, though. He’s going to need some time to develop, so the Titans securing a starter at right tackle like Kelly or another veteran will still be necessary.

We’ll find out just who the Titans select in the first round when Day 1 of the NFL Draft takes place on Thursday, April 23.

5 standouts from NFL Combine that Bears could target in NFL Draft

Chicago should have a chance at at some of these standouts at the NFL Combine including at some of the biggest areas of need this offseason.

The 2020 NFL Scouting Combine is in the books, and there were plenty of prospects that impressed during workouts. Considering the Bears don’t pick until No. 43, there are several of those standout performers that will be off the board well before Chicago’s first pick in the second round.

But there were a slew of prospects that impressed last week that the Bears should have a chance at at some of the biggest areas of need this offseason, including tight end, safety, cornerback, offensive line and quarterback.

Let’s take a look at some prospects that impressed at the NFL Scouting Combine that the Bears could target in the NFL Draft:

S Jeremy Chinn, Southern Illinois

Brian Spurlock-USA TODAY Sports

Jeremy Chinn had already put himself on most teams’ radar during the Senior Bowl, but it was his NFL Combine performance that really set him apart. His measurements were impressive — 41-inch vertical jump, 116-inch broad jump and his 4.45 40-yard dash, all of which ranked in the top three among safeties. And he was equally as impressive during on-field drills.

The Bears are looking for a safety to line-up opposite Eddie Jackson, and Chinn could fit in well in that strong safety role. Chinn was believed to be a sixth-round prospect, but his stock certainly has risen after a strong NFL Combine performance.

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12 offensive combine standouts for the Bills to consider

12 standout prospects on offense from the 2020 NFL Scouting Combine for the Buffalo Bills to consider drafting.

We started off our combine standouts pegged for the Bills defense, but now let’s get to the fun part… the offense.

Buffalo’s offense could stand to use plenty of help all over the place. Playmakers will be a big-time need for the Bills, but the trenches and in the backfield also can’t be overlooked.

Here are 12 offensive prospects who impressed at the combine that the Bills could consider adding at the upcoming draft:

Notre Dame Fighting Irish wide receiver Chase Claypool. Credit: Brian Spurlock-USA TODAY Sports

WR Chase Claypool | Notre Dame

At 6-foot-4 and 238 pounds, Chase Claypool was already certainly on the Bills’ draft radar even if he didn’t put up the most prolific numbers at Notre Dame. But his size now comes with some documented speed after the combine. That big body moved the 40-yard dash in 4.42 seconds. Per NFL Research, Claypool and Calvin Johnson are the only wide receivers who stood at least 6-foot-4 and 235 pounds and ran a sub-4.45-second 40-yard time. Good company. He also had a 40.5-inch vertical, fourth-best among wideouts

OL Ezra Cleveland | Boise State

Prior to the combine, Ezra Cleveland was viewed as a developmental tackle prospect but he improved his stock. If it wasn’t for top-10 prospect Tristan Wirfs’ work, Cleveland would’ve taken more headlines after the combine. He had a great three-cone time of 7.26 for a 6-foot-6, 311-pound guy, along with a ridiculous 4.93 40-yard time. He’s an athlete. Cleveland could now be a Day 2 pick and a guy that perhaps could move Cody Ford to the guard position. Many predict he needs to bulk up, though.

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Colts’ 7-round mock draft post-NFL combine

A full mock draft after the NFL combine.

With the NFL scouting combine on its way out, the Indianapolis Colts now have some official measurements to add to the tape they’ve been watching on the majority of prospects entering the 2020 NFL draft.

There is still a lot left in the process for the Colts. They have to go back to the tape, compare the measurements and scores with what they see on film, talk to these players that might be on their draft board and a number of other objectives before April 23 hits.

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Free agency will also have a lot to do with how the Colts go about their draft process but it isn’t yet clear what will happen as we still have a few weeks left until the market opens.

Using The Draft Network’s mock draft machine, here is a seven-round mock draft for the Colts following the combine:

Brian Spurlock-USA TODAY Sports

No. 13 | Henry Ruggs III | WR | Alabama

I know, I know. The Colts need a quarterback, and I ultimately think that’s the best way to go about their draft regardless of what happens over the next few months. However, the possibility of the Colts not addressing the quarterback position heavily is just as high as using this pick on a signal-caller.

General manager Chris Ballard has stated all offseason the need to get more explosive. It doesn’t come in a better package than Ruggs. Some might believe he’s just a burner, but that narrative should be put to rest. His combine numbers only backed up what he was putting on film.

We knew Ruggs would crush the 40-yard dash, which he did by posting a 4.27 time. But he also tested in elite percentiles in other important measurements:

  • Broad jump: 131″ (94th)
  • Vertical jump: 42″ (97th)
  • Hand size: 10 1/8″ (90th)

The Colts don’t like to invest heavily into wide receivers in the first round, but the ceiling for Ruggs is Tyreek Hill. Ballard desperately needs that type of talent in Frank Reich’s offense.

This pick could certainly address the defensive line, but Ruggs’ impact might go further because of the complete lack of explosiveness on offense.

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Chargers post-2020 NFL Combine 4-round mock draft

Draft Wire’s Gavino Borquez projects the first four rounds of the 2020 NFL Draft for the Los Angeles Chargers after the NFL Combine.

The 2020 NFL Scouting Combine is officially in the books. How will it affect the Chargers’ draft plans?

Below is our latest four-round projection.

Round 1, No. 6, QB Jordan Love, Utah State

Brian Spurlock-USA TODAY Sports

Oregon’s Justin Herbert has been in this position quite a bit throughout the pre-draft process, but a slight curveball has been thrown.

Love has been getting a lot of buzz as a top-10 selection after a strong performance at the Scouting Combine where he displayed his athleticism in the agility testing and arm talent in the on-field drills.

The Bakersfield native is arguably the biggest wild card among all quarterbacks. Even though he’s an extremely talented player, he struggled with turnovers in 2019, throwing 17 on the season.

The reason for the handful of interceptions could’ve been due to losing his head coach and all but one of his starters.

But a year prior to that, he threw 32 touchdowns and only six interceptions, which has had many believing that they could get the 2018 version with Love with some polish and surrounding him with play-makers, which the Chargers have.

The bottom line is that there’s no denying that when Love met with Los Angeles he had to explain the costly mistakes this past season when put on the whiteboard.

However, if the coaching staff feels like they can get the most out of him, they’d be getting the ideal signal-caller for their system, one who is competitive, has the arm to get the ball to all levels of the field and the mobility to be a threat with his legs.

If L.A. felt like Love was their guy, he would benefit from being able to sit behind Tyrod Taylor in Year 1. Coach Anthony Lynn, who maximized Taylor’s potential when they were in Buffalo together, would be able to do the same for Love.

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2020 NFL Combine winners: Offensive linemen

Examining and identifying the top on-field offensive linemen performances from the 2020 NFL Combine.

The 2020 NFL Combine continued their on-field drills on Friday night, this time featuring offensive linemen and running backs. As always, the workouts begin with the 40-yard-dash, and when they shifted into position drills, we got to see a handful of new drills.

The Detroit Lions were surely keeping a close eye on the offensive linemen tonight as they could be in the market for a starter at guard, as well as a future starter at offensive tackle. Let’s take a look at those who earned positive marks today.

Tristan Wirfs, LT/RT, Iowa

6-5, 320, 10-y/s: 1.69, 40-y/d: 4.85, Vertical 36.5″, Broad 10-1

There is plenty of debate over who the top offensive lineman in this class is, but it wouldn’t be at all surprising if Wirfs was on top of the Lions board at the position.

Wirfs’ elite athleticism was on full display tonight, where he looked silky smooth in on-field drills, and set records in the measurable tasks. His 4.85 40-yard dash was the fastest among all offensive linemen this year and sixth fastest since 2003. His 36.5″ vertical jump was the highest at the position since 2003 and his 10-1 broad jump was tied for the furthest by an offensive lineman since 2003.

He dominated.

Cesar Ruiz, IOL, Michigan

6-3, 307, 10-y/s: 1.77

Ruiz and LSU’s Lloyd Cushenberry are in a fierce battle for the top spot among the interior offensive linemen, and while both showed out tonight, I gave the edge to Ruiz based on his fluidity and movement skills. Ruiz was under control in every single drill and he executed each with precision and power. His ability to play center and guard could put him in play for the Lions at pick No. 35 at the top of the second round.

Austin Jackson, LT, USC

6-5, 322, 10-y/s: 1.73

Jackson is a young (only 20-years-old) and developing prospect, and while he likely won’t be grouped in the same tier as the top four offensive tackles in this class, his upside is obvious and was highlighted at tonight’s Combine. A high-character pure left tackle, Jackson’s ability to take over a starting role a year from now will be very appealing to a team like the Lions.

Ezra Cleveland, LT, Boise State

6-6, 311, 10-y/s: 1.73, Bench 30 reps

Cleveland is a developmental offensive tackle who is probably a year away from earning a starting role in the NFL, making him a player who will draw interest from the Lions. At the Combine, Cleveland showed off his balance, ability to play with his head up, and moved laterally with ease.

Nick Harris, IOL, Washington

6-1, 302, 10-y/s: 1.76

Harris’ athleticism stands out when you watch him play and the Combine was no different. He was smooth, balanced, kept his center of gravity low, and moved laterally with ease. Harris will check a lot of boxes for the Lions — he spent a week with them at the senior bowl and will hit their athletic requirements — but he is likely headed for a Joe Dahl-like role, where it will take him time before he is ready to compete for a starting job.

Notes:

  • Mekhi Becton (6-7.5, 364, Louisville) started the show off with a bang, gliding to a 1.77 10-yard-split, but he pulled up after the first on-field drill or he would’ve been higher up this list
  • Jedrick Willis (6-4, 312, Alabama) put his power on full display in a kick-slide right tackle drill, where Willis punched through the bag, knocking the coaches head violently back

3 Chargers takeaways from NFL Combine workouts: Offensive linemen

Chargers Wire’s Gavino Borquez drops his thoughts from the offensive linemen’s workout at the 2020 NFL Scouting Combine.

The 2020 NFL Scouting Combine continued on Friday with the offensive line working out on the field at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis, IN.

Here are three Chargers takeaways from the workouts.

‘The Freak’ wows

AP Photo/Charlie Neibergall

This year’s offensive line class is thought to be one of the deeper position groups, with Georgia’s Andrew Thomas, Alabama’s Jedrick Wills, Louisville’s Mekhi Becton and Iowa’s Tristan Wirfs sitting at the top. While they all performed well today, the former Hawkeye stole the show.

Wirfs, who was listed as No. 1 on Bruce Feldman’s Freak List, absolutely tore it up. He put together one of the best all-around performances certainly by an offensive lineman in recent memory. Wirfs ran a blazing 4.85 40-yard dash and 1.69 10-yard split at 6-foot-5 and 320 pounds.

Prior to running that eye-popping 40, Wirfs jumped out of the gym with an insane 36.5-inch vertical, which is an NFL Combine record for an offensive lineman. Wirfs then tied a Combine record for broad jump by an offensive lineman with a 10-foot-1 leap.

Should the Chargers look to address the offensive line in the first-round, Wirfs possesses starting-level talent at right tackle. He’s also played left tackle and he even provides the ability to kick inside to guard, but his strength and size are ideal for the right side in Year 1.

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2020 NFL Combine: Matt Peart stands out as offensive tackles measure in

Chargers Wire’s Gavino Borquez drops some of his takeaways from the offensive tackle’s measurements at the 2020 NFL Combine.

The offensive tackles were among the positional groups that measured in on Tuesday at the 2020 NFL Combine.

For the Chargers, addressing the position sits the near the top of their to-do list this offseason. Therefore, they will likely be in the market for one in the early rounds of the draft.

Here is a look at the measurements of the tackles courtesy of CBS Sports, followed by some of our takeaways:

Takeaways

  • Matt Peart was arguably the biggest winner. The former UConn product boasted the longest arms and wingspan, which is extremely beneficial at the position. At 320 pounds, he looks the part with an NFL frame. Peart put together solid tape at the right tackle position, stamping himself as a top-100 pick. He should help his stock even more after showing off his athleticism this week.
  • Standing at a whopping 6-foot-8 and 365 pounds, Mekhi Becton has an enormous frame with natural girth and a wide base, along with octopus-like arms. Becton has seen his stock rise throughout the past couple of months, and he should be picked within the top-20 selections.
  • There’s been plenty of chatter of kicking Tristan Wirfs inside to guard because of his arm length, but those talks were put to rest after coming in at 34-inch arms. At 320 pounds and an 80-inch wingspan, Wirfs looks the part as an NFL offensive tackle.
  • Robert Hunt has also been on the fence of whether or not he needs to move from tackle to guard, but after coming in with a solid 82-inch wingspan, it’s safe to say that he can stay on the outside.
  • Ben Bartch, the small-school standout, didn’t have the most ideal measurements for the position. Bartch came in with the shortest arms of anyone in his group and he fell short of 310 pounds. His tape suggests that he should be able to play tackle at the next level, but he will likely have to put on a little bit more weight.
  • There were concerns in regards to Ezra Cleveland’s arm length, but he came in at 33 7/8 inches with a wingspan of 80 7/8 inches. We currently have Cleveland stamped as an early-third rounder, but it wouldn’t be surprising if he moves himself into top-50 consideration after this week.

Chargers 2020 NFL Draft Target: Boise State OT Ezra Cleveland

Chargers Wire’s Gavino Borquez puts Boise State offensive tackle Ezra Cleveland, a potential draft target, under the microscope.

Over the next few months, we are going to be taking a look at a handful of draft prospects leading up into the 2020 NFL Draft. With the Chargers having needs at various positions, we will do our best to evaluate the players that we feel fit the team precisely.

Today, we are taking a look at Boise State offensive tackle Ezra Cleveland.

Honors and Awards

  • All-Mountain West First Team (2018-19)
  • All-Mountain West Honorable Mention (2017)
  • Academic All-Mountain West (Fall 2017)

Strengths

  • Tall, proportionate frame.
  • Athletic feet in pass protection to reset and react to movement. Efficient kick slide, sliding very smoothy and getting to his destination point with ease. Initial quickness to cut off wide speed.
  • Uses his long arms to lock out, slow rushers and maintain space.
  • Strong mirroring skill and agility skills to be able to hold his own against the most athletic edge rushers.
  • Patient hands. Mixes up how he throws pass-rushers off balance. Has the grip and core strength to hold his own at the point of attack.
  • Alert to recognize blitzers and reorganize his assignments.
  • Quick to climb and comfortable in space, taking out second-level defenders with clean angles and sustain skills.

Weaknesses

  • Marginal recovery anchor, playing too much on his heels and in an upright position.
  • Late or wide hands, allowing rushers to attack his chest and walk him backwards.
  • Several bad habits like ducking his head and lunging.
  • Rarely snaps his hips through when blocking in the run game. Hardly ever the low man in this area. Doesn’t always match the power of nasty of defensive linemen.

Summary

Cleveland, the 6-foot-6 and 315 pounder, started all Boise State’s 40 games since redshirting as a freshman. The Washington native has an athletic frame, who is a coordinated mover who’s comfortable in space, flashing the instincts and smarts required for the next level. While he isn’t necessarily overpowering strength player in the run game, he quickly finds his landmarks and uses his natural coordination to stay between the defender and pocket.

Chargers Fit

Cleveland needs to improve his play strength in the run game, but his balanced athleticism and loose movement skills allow him to stymie different types of rushers off the edge. He is capable of filling in an immediate void at right tackle, but also has a skillset to provide depth inside.

Projected Round: Early-Mid Third