Boise State left tackle Ezra Cleveland has some buzz going as a possible Cleveland Browns target. It’s a fervor that extends far beyond the convenience of his last name.
He’s a gifted athlete with impressive results in pass protection. He accomplished those despite battling a turf toe injury in 2019 that prevented him from practicing. There are some very real drawbacks, however.
Games watched: Utah State (18 and 19), Wyoming, Florida State, BYU, Washington
Pros
- Incredible mirror footwork
He’s got amazing lateral agility and the ability to mirror an edge rusher with balance. It’s due to Cleveland’s outstanding feet. He innately stays in phase with his movement and keeps the defender’s head square between his shoulders. His hip/shoulder/foot coordinator is a pass protection dream for a left tackle.
- Overall athleticism
Cleveland really elevated his draft profile with a great 2020 NFL Scouting Combine performance. His testing is among the best at his position in history:
Those are astounding figures, and they do translate to the field. Boise State even tried to capitalize on it by giving him a red zone gadget run, where he showed the acceleration and comfortable movement skills,
- Playing defenders against themselves.
Cleveland lacks power and he knows it, but more importantly, he knows how to mitigate it. He’s great at using a defender’s movement against their desire. If a speedy edge wants to go upfield, he lets them but knows exactly when to give a shove to push them farther away. When a power move goes to his inside shoulder, Cleveland is adept at using his superior balance, quick hands and arm length to steer them more inside or into his help. It’s an unusual technique but Cleveland is really good at it.
Cons
- Lack of functional power
He might have posted 30 bench-press reps at the combine, but Cleveland does not demonstrate power in his blocking. It’s especially noticeable when he has to try and anchor against bull rushes. He routinely gets moved backward and will get jolted upright by good initial punches. Cleveland likes to arch his back and get more upright when he’s overpowered, which leaves him vulnerable to rushers who can string together moves.
In run blocking, when he can get a step or two of momentum Cleveland is acceptable at walling off a hole and holding his ground. He’s not a people-mover in any sense, however.
- Unfocused run blocking.
Cleveland is very agile but it’s not always used productively in the run game. This rep against Florida State is a great (and common) example.
No. 76 here moves beautifully out into space as a potential lead blocker. But he never actually touches anyone. This happened a lot in watching Boise State games. It’s great that Cleveland can flow into the second level, but he doesn’t really do anything once he’s out there too often.
- No “look for work” blocks.
This goes in hand with the above, but it’s more focused on Cleveland’s pass protection. He’s just not an aggressive guy in terms of seeking to engage or dole out punishment when he’s already beaten his blocking assignment or doesn’t have anyone in front of him. Cleveland will stand around instead of “looking for work” to help out linemates or a scrambling QB.
Overall
Cleveland is a very effective, NFL-ready pass protection specialist at left tackle. His outstanding athleticism and movement skills are a good schematic fit for the zone blocking system the Browns are expected to deploy. However, he’s severely deficient in overall power and his run blocking is below-average.
Cleveland will keep the QB upright and comfortable, which is the primary role for a left tackle.
Comparison: Eric Fisher, more specifically the NFL player that Fisher has become and not the player taken No. 1 overall in 2013.
Where I’d take him: No earlier than the middle of the second round, preferably in the 3rd
Where I expect him to be taken: Because he thrives at pass protection and is an outstanding athlete, I’ll be surprised if Cleveland lasts past No. 25 overall.
