Vikings select OT Ezra Cleveland

[Maelstrom88]

https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&source= ... WpeiRdy-sV

Really happy about this pick. Great value in the second. He sounds versatile and a lot like O Neil. Just needs to add strength. Perfect fit for zone scheme. Great pass blocker from what I read.

[S197]

Look at the guys on the left he compares to, he's in good company.

https://www.mockdraftable.com/player/ezra-cleveland

[Maelstrom88]

Look at the guys on the left he compares to, he's in good company.

https://www.mockdraftable.com/player/ezra-cleveland

There are a lot of guys on that list I'd be pretty thrilled with having. I hope they take Jon Runyan Jr. later in this draft.

[VikingsVictorious]

Look at the guys on the left he compares to, he's in good company.

https://www.mockdraftable.com/player/ezra-cleveland

He's got tiny hands

[RandyMoss84]

Love the pick!

[Maelstrom88]

Look at the guys on the left he compares to, he's in good company.

https://www.mockdraftable.com/player/ezra-cleveland

He's got tiny hands

More difficult to catch holding.

[VikingsVictorious]

He's got tiny hands

More difficult to catch holding.

That's a plus.

[VikingsVictorious]

Zuniga was on my draft radar.

[VikingsVictorious]

Terrell Lewis still available. Is he worth the risk.

[Pondering Her Percy]

Look at the guys on the left he compares to, he's in good company.

https://www.mockdraftable.com/player/ezra-cleveland

Funny O'neill is on that list. I said in the Williams thread that everything about Cleveland screams Brian O'niell. His knock is his strength, the same exact knock O'Neill had. But in today's NFL, you dont need strength at an OT, you need athleticism and quickness because 95% of these pass rushers you are facing are speed rushers. It's exactly why Reiff struggles at LT. He doesnt have the athleticism to get out to these speed rushers. Jerry Hughes tooled on him in 2018. He simply lined up way wide and took such a deep rush that Reiff couldnt reach out to him. He gave up 12 pressures that game. In ONE game. This is exactly why I wanted Cleveland over Jones.

[Maelstrom88]

Look at the guys on the left he compares to, he's in good company.

https://www.mockdraftable.com/player/ezra-cleveland

Funny O'neill is on that list. I said in the Williams thread that everything about Cleveland screams Brian O'niell. His knock is his strength, the same exact knock O'Neill had. But in today's NFL, you dont need strength at an OT, you need athleticism and quickness because 95% of these pass rushers you are facing are speed rushers. It's exactly why Reiff struggles at LT. He doesnt have the athleticism to get out to these speed rushers. Jerry Hughes tooled on him in 2018. He simply lined up way wide and took such a deep rush that Reiff couldnt reach out to him. He gave up 12 pressures that game. In ONE game. This is exactly why I wanted Cleveland over Jones.

Do you think Reiff could be moved inside this year?

[YikesVikes]

Look at the guys on the left he compares to, he's in good company.

https://www.mockdraftable.com/player/ezra-cleveland

Funny O'neill is on that list. I said in the Williams thread that everything about Cleveland screams Brian O'niell. His knock is his strength, the same exact knock O'Neill had. But in today's NFL, you dont need strength at an OT, you need athleticism and quickness because 95% of these pass rushers you are facing are speed rushers. It's exactly why Reiff struggles at LT. He doesnt have the athleticism to get out to these speed rushers. Jerry Hughes tooled on him in 2018. He simply lined up way wide and took such a deep rush that Reiff couldnt reach out to him. He gave up 12 pressures that game. In ONE game. This is exactly why I wanted Cleveland over Jones.

NFL defenders are able to do both. That is why it is difficult to be an OT. This guy is not the same as Oniel. One issue is him sustaining blocks. Getting out there is one piece of the problem, the other is getting an arm on guys and actually blocking them. He has played lessor talent and in the NFL many of his blocks would allow the defender to recover and get back into the play. Not saying he is a bad player. I am saying that the Vikings need a plan if they plan to start him this year. Maybe move him to RT and move Oniel to left.

[Pondering Her Percy]

Funny O'neill is on that list. I said in the Williams thread that everything about Cleveland screams Brian O'niell. His knock is his strength, the same exact knock O'Neill had. But in today's NFL, you dont need strength at an OT, you need athleticism and quickness because 95% of these pass rushers you are facing are speed rushers. It's exactly why Reiff struggles at LT. He doesnt have the athleticism to get out to these speed rushers. Jerry Hughes tooled on him in 2018. He simply lined up way wide and took such a deep rush that Reiff couldnt reach out to him. He gave up 12 pressures that game. In ONE game. This is exactly why I wanted Cleveland over Jones.

NFL defenders are able to do both. That is why it is difficult to be an OT. This guy is not the same as Oniel. One issue is him sustaining blocks. Getting out there is one piece of the problem, the other is getting an arm on guys and actually blocking them. He has played lessor talent and in the NFL many of his blocks would allow the defender to recover and get back into the play. Not saying he is a bad player. I am saying that the Vikings need a plan if they plan to start him this year. Maybe move him to RT and move Oniel to left.

Their combine numbers are nearly identical.

Oneills "weaknesses" coming into the draft.....

-Lack of play strength could be debilitating on the next level
-More grabber than puncher
-Oversets and opens the inside path
-Gets caught on balls of his feet and can be walked into pocket in pass pro
-Doesn't have enough upper body strength to seal and finish some backside reach blocks



Cleveland "weaknesses" coming into the draft.....

-Play strength is a major concern
-Struggles to punch and separate
-Trouble sliding and washing down inside moves
-Gets walked into the pocket by speed-to-power charges
-Will coast at times rather than finishing blocks


Like I dont think the write ups could be more similar. Cleveland is very similar to ONeill. ONeill is an elite pass blocker because of his athleticism. He had even LESS strength than Cleveland and has allowed 1 sack (SF playoff game) in two years. Oneill only put up 22 reps at the combine. Cleveland put up 30.

And we arent moving Oneill. I believe either Zim or Spielman already spoke on it and said it wouldnt happen.

[YikesVikes]

NFL defenders are able to do both. That is why it is difficult to be an OT. This guy is not the same as Oniel. One issue is him sustaining blocks. Getting out there is one piece of the problem, the other is getting an arm on guys and actually blocking them. He has played lessor talent and in the NFL many of his blocks would allow the defender to recover and get back into the play. Not saying he is a bad player. I am saying that the Vikings need a plan if they plan to start him this year. Maybe move him to RT and move Oniel to left.

Their combine numbers are nearly identical.

Oneills "weaknesses" coming into the draft.....

-Lack of play strength could be debilitating on the next level
-More grabber than puncher
-Oversets and opens the inside path
-Gets caught on balls of his feet and can be walked into pocket in pass pro
-Doesn't have enough upper body strength to seal and finish some backside reach blocks



Cleveland "weaknesses" coming into the draft.....

-Play strength is a major concern
-Struggles to punch and separate
-Trouble sliding and washing down inside moves
-Gets walked into the pocket by speed-to-power charges
-Will coast at times rather than finishing blocks


Like I dont think the write ups could be more similar. Cleveland is very similar to ONeill. ONeill is an elite pass blocker because of his athleticism. He had even LESS strength than Cleveland and has allowed 1 sack (SF playoff game) in two years. Oneill only put up 22 reps at the combine. Cleveland put up 30.

And we arent moving Oneill. I believe either Zim or Spielman already spoke on it and said it wouldnt happen.

1. I hate when you throw out the 1 sack stat. We all know that pressure is more important. He gives up pressure. I believe it was pretty high as a rookie.

2. You left off arm length. Oniel's are average for the position. And long enough to make up for a lack of play strength. I worry about our Trex at LT more than Oniel

3. Bench strength doesn't equal play strength. Leg strength, and hand force matters way more. Sometimes they are related sometimes they aren't. My issue with Cleveland is more about him holding blocks beyond just getting in the way. I also don't believe that Oniel had a negative write up about his blocking. He was able to get out and sustain blocks. He was also competitive. And tried to finish blocks. Two minuses from Cleveland.

Again, not saying he was a bad pick. I am saying, I hope we have a plan for the young man besides throwing him to the wolves.

[84BreaksAnkles]

For all of you who are happy with this pick.. Ask yourself this question:
Is this the guy I want up front for my Vikings......

Guys.... Please use your own eyes. Don't accept whats fed to you always..

Please just watch the following two clips (timestamp 00:04:39 - 00:05:18):
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VxXCuSyj18M&t=4m39s

Look at Wills here. This is a dog. This is a nasty guy and he wants to hurt you.

Compare that hog's grit to this guy (timestamp 00:00:46 - 00:01:01):
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ar3ioQywcAc&t=0m45s

Just listen to the coach "It's ok to hit the bag"...........

And before you guys stroll in with the ol' "Its just a bag drill in the combine, it has nothing to do with the game", "Wills was a top-5 pick, and there's natural dropoff in the later picks, etc."

Just stop it. You can't convince me there wasn't another one of the 40+ tackles in this class with a little more grit, a little more heart, a little more drive, a little more dog in him. I can already hear the ol' "But he's a scheme fit for what were trying to do", good luck with that. We've read that book before and it ends the same way every time. For once lets go get a hog up front..

This kids going to absolutely get stood up in this league, the same way O'Niell falls short when we play the San Francisco's of the World. Sure, 80% of the time, hes solid & sound. But when its on the line and we need them, we will get spanked with these guys. Especially considering our Guards are well below average.