In the latest installment of his mock draft, ESPN’s Mel Kiper has the Tennessee Titans addressing their need for an offensive lineman in the first round of the 2020 NFL Draft.
Per Kiper, Tennessee will select Boise State tackle Ezra Cleveland with the No. 29 overall pick.
After Cleveland’s excellent combine performance in which he ran a 4.93 40 (third-fastest among offensive linemen) and looked great in the agility drills, I went back to the tape to study him. And what I saw was a left tackle who I was underrating. A three-year starter for the Broncos, Cleveland isn’t just a workout wonder — he was a great tackle in the Mountain West. The Titans are set at left tackle with Taylor Lewan, of course, but with right tackle Jack Conklin departing in free agency, Cleveland could compete with former swing tackle Dennis Kelly, who was re-signed. Tennessee added Vic Beasley Jr. last week, but I wouldn’t be shocked to see them add another edge rusher here.
We’ve seen Cleveland mocked to the Titans a few times this offseason, and chances are that will continue now that Jack Conklin has left in free agency to sign with the Cleveland Browns.
The Titans do have a 2020 solution in Dennis Kelly, who shouldn’t be much of a drop-off from Conklin when starting on the right side. However, the Titans would be wise to explore options for the long term, as Kelly is 30 years old.
Even if the incoming offensive lineman doesn’t start right away (he probably won’t), Tennessee saw first hand just how important depth is upfront last season. Kelly was that depth for the Titans for the past four years, so having him start removes a security blanket that must be replaced.
Cleveland would be a solid pick, but needs time to develop, which is fine because the Titans already have Kelly to be the stopgap.
He’s a freak athlete who impressed at the combine with the third-fastest 40-yard dash and best 20-yard shuttle time among all offensive lineman. That kind of athleticism is worth noting for an offensive lineman because it’s a great fit for the Titans’ zone-blocking scheme.
Justin Melo of Draft Wire recently put together an interview with Cleveland if you want more information on a guy who could be the Titans’ first-round pick.
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