Boise State’s Cleveland has NFL ‘dream come true’ with second-round selection
Former Boise State left tackle Ezra Cleveland is heading to Minnesota.
The Vikings picked Cleveland on Friday with the 26th pick in the second round of the NFL Draft — No. 58 overall. The Broncos have now had at least one player drafted 11 years in a row. Cornerback Kyle Wilson began the streak in 2010 when the Jets took him No. 29 overall.
When Cleveland was shown on ESPN learning of his selection, there was a large Boise State flag draped across the wall behind him. Broncos’ offensive line coach Brad Bedell and one of Cleveland’s high school defensive line coaches joined his family in Boise for the draft.
“It’s a great organization, and I’ve heard nothing but positive things,” Cleveland told the Idaho Statesman by phone. “It was a dream come true for sure.”
Cleveland said he spoke with the Vikings at the NFL Scouting Combine and had a FaceTime interview with Minnesota offensive line coach Rick Dennison before the draft.
The Rams were on the clock when he got the call, but Cleveland said it was a relief when he found out it was actually the Vikings on the other end. He said he fits well into the Vikings’ zone blocking scheme, and Minnesota was a team he envisioned himself playing for.
Cleveland also said he and former Boise State running back Alexander Mattison haven’t stopped talking since the pick. Mattison was drafted by the Vikings in the third round of last year’s draft.
The highest-drafted Boise State offensive lineman is Ryan Clady, who went No. 12 overall in 2008 to the Broncos. Cleveland is the third-highest behind Clady and Daryn Colledge — two longtime NFL starters.
Clady started 106 NFL games from 2008 to 2016, and Colledge started 137 games from 2006 to 2014.
Cleveland started 40 games for Boise State the past three seasons. A foot injury limited him early last season, but he managed to start 13 games at left tackle and earn first-team All-Mountain West honors for the second year in a row.
“He’s a tough guy and athletic,” said Vikings Director of College Scouting Jamaal Stephenson, according to the Post Bulletin in Minnesota. “He’s mature. He’s a grinder. He loves football, and we think he’s a guy who’s going to come in and help us right away.”
After declaring for the draft in December, the 6-foot-6, 310-pound Spanaway, Washington, native impressed at the NFL Scouting Combine with a 40-yard dash time of 4.93 seconds and 30 reps on the bench press.
“You would like for him to play that way, the way he tested,” ESPN analyst Louis Riddick said on the draft broadcast. “He doesn’t always play that way. But, look, he’s young and developing. … He’s somebody who people told me his stock was rising as the draft approached.”
Cleveland and Mattison are both part of a streak of seven consecutive years that a Boise State early entrant into the draft has been selected.
Defensive end DeMarcus Lawrence (2014), running back Jay Ajayi (2015), linebacker Kamalei Correa (2016), running back Jeremy McNichols (2017), linebacker Leighton Vander Esch (2018) and Mattison (2019) were the previous picks.
“Cleveland has shorter arms for a tackle, but he gets set quickly and doesn’t lunge or chase with his hands,” ESPN.com’s Steve Muench wrote. “He has the body control and foot speed to mirror. He wrestled in high school and has very good upper-body strength. He’s an effective positional blocker with the skillset to excel in a zone-heavy scheme. He’s smooth climbing and covers up linebackers at the second level.”
Boise State’s highest draft picks
12. Ryan Clady, OT, Broncos (2008)*
19. Shea McClellin, DE, Bears (2012)*
19. Leighton Vander Esch, LB, Cowboys (2018)*
29. Kyle Wilson, CB, Jets (2010)*
30. Markus Koch, DE, Redskins (1986)
31. Doug Martin, RB, Buccaneers (2012)*
31. David Hughes, FB, Seahawks (1981)
34. DeMarcus Lawrence, DE, Cowboys (2014)
42. Kamalei Correa, DE, Ravens (2016)
44. Titus Young, WR, Lions (2011)
47. Daryn Colledge, OT, Packers (2006)
54. Jamar Taylor, CB, Dolphins (2013)
58. Ezra Cleveland, OT, Vikings (2020)
61. Gerald Alexander, S, Lions (2007)
* indicates first-round pick
This story was originally published April 24, 2020 at 7:08 PM.
