Ezra Cleveland is playing at guard as opposed to tackle, but the rookie has adjusted on the fly, making his first NFL start last game.
He wasn’t perfect, but Cleveland looked decent in pass protection, which could help the Vikings interior offensive line a lot, due to their struggles in that area.
Bleacher Report thinks Cleveland has the potential to break out. With Dru Samia’s poor performances and Pat Elflein going on IR, there’s certainly a chance he could do so. Here’s what the outlet said about Cleveland:
“Cleveland, the 58th pick this year, got 100 percent of the snaps during his team’s Week 6 loss, and in a real trial-by-fire moment, had his struggles against an elite player in Atlanta’s Grady Jarrett en route to a 43.8 Pro Football Focus grade.
But the flashes were there, and Cleveland is playing out of position at guard. He’ll adapt, if not get to move to tackle and let his natural traits blossom.”
Cleveland is a clear upgrade over Samia, so I think if Elflein is hurt, it’s time to give the rookie a shot at more playing time after a Week 6 start.
