Minnesota’s offensive line improved in 2019, and hopefully the team’s latest draft pick will help them get even better.
Minnesota drafted Boise State tackle Ezra Cleveland with the 58th overall pick in the NFL Draft.
He earned All-Mountain West First Team in two consecutive seasons. He started 13 games for Boise State in his final collegiate season. He helped the Broncos rank 19th nationally in scoring with 34.7 points per game.
Cleveland arrives to an offensive system that emphasizes running the ball and utilizing quarterback Kirk Cousins by using him in play-action passes and rollouts.
The draft pick could very well result in Riley Reiff, who was the team’s starting left tackle in 2019, moving to guard for 2020.
The team released guard Josh Kline this offseason, who was a starter in 2019. With the opening at guard, Minnesota can move current left tackle Riley Reiff to that position. The Star Tribune’s Andrew Krammer reported in February of 2019 that the Vikings were pondering a change of positions for Reiff, possibly to guard.
