CBS Sports names Ben Cleveland as rookie who could earn key role in 2021

The Baltimore Ravens selected University of Georgia offensive guard Ben Cleveland with the 94th pick in the 2021 NFL draft. Cleveland was a player that members of the Baltimore organization were eager to select, including head coach John Harbaugh.

When listing out one rookie drafted after Day 1 on each AFC team who could earn a key role in 2021, Chris Trapasso of CBS Sports identified Cleveland as his pick for the Ravens. Trapasso pointed to Cleveland’s power as a key reason why he earned a spot on the list.

“Cleveland was born to play in Baltimore. That sentence reads weird if you’re a Ravens fan, doesn’t it? This former Georgia star kindly moves 300-pound defensive linemen out of the intended run lane as if he was organizing stuffed animals in a little kid’s room. Stiff? Yes. But unfairly powerful. After Marshal Yanda’s retirement, the Ravens lost some grown man strength at guard. Cleveland won’t be the next Yanda, but he can provide some of the jolt Baltimore missed in 2020. Cleveland was drafted in Round 3 to start right away.”

Trapasso also listed out an impressive statistic to know about each player, and Cleveland’s was certainly amazing.

“Measured in at 6-6 and 343 pounds and ran a 5.05 (92nd percentile) in the 40 at the Georgia Pro Day”

Cleveland seems to be the early favorite to win Baltimore’s starting left guard job, a role that became available after the team made it clear that they were moving their former left guard in Bradley Bozeman to the center position. Cleveland is sound in both pass protection and run blocking, which should translate nicely over to the NFL level. Even if Cleveland doesn’t win a starting job right out of the gate as a rookie, he has the potential to be a key piece on the Ravens’ offensive line for a long time.