Pre-Combine Thoughts For Wolfpack Defensive Tackle Brandon Cleveland
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RALEIGH — Many players go on to excellent professional careers based on their performances during the NFL's rigorous pre-draft process, which culminates at the Scouting Combine in Indianapolis, which begins Feb. 23 in Indianapolis. Representatives from the coaching staffs and front offices of all 32 NFL franchises will be in attendance to watch young players work out.
Former NC State tight end Justin Joly and defensive tackle Brandon Cleveland both received coveted invitations to the 2026 Scouting Combine, where they will attempt to impress those reps from the league to boost their draft stock and potentially move into being Day 2 picks when the event gets going at the end of April.
Cleveland ready to prove himself
Cleveland's development arc was one of the great success stories for the Wolfpack over the last few seasons. Across four seasons with NC State, the defensive tackle accumulated 36 solo tackles, six sacks and 16 tackles for loss, playing a crucial position in both Tony Gibson's scheme and the new alignments implemented by his replacement, DJ Eliot, in 2025. His efforts in the 2025 season earned him an invitation to the East/West Shrine Bowl in Frisco back in January.
"What I hope to get out of this week is just showcasing my skill and talent and help improve my draft stock," Cleveland said at the Shrine Bowl. "It's always been a goal of mine to go to the NFL, so this is a good place to help solidify that."
Brandon Cleveland is slowly but surely becoming one of my favorite Defensive Tackles in this draft class pic.twitter.com/ISDNAz9ZCC
— The Draft Hub (@TheNFLDraftHub) January 21, 2026
At 6-foot-2 and 322 pounds, Cleveland has the body of a defensive tackle capable of playing at the professional level. On top of that, the solid nose tackle played in a program with a rich tradition of producing NFL talent. During his time, Cleveland leaned on his coaching staff to help develop as a player and as a person, knowing that if he made progress in the right areas, he'd have a shot at the league.
"D.D. Hoggard, the NFL liaison there, we have a great relationship," he said. "He kind of took me under his wing as a freshman when I got to NC State. Coach (Charley) Wiles, coach (Dave) Doeren, they're all great guys and I wouldn't have wanted to play for anybody else."
NC State IDL Brandon Cleveland with a powerful rip move to win in seconds in this 2v2 drill work. Beautiful rep. #ShrineBowl pic.twitter.com/PywGq3MnhO
— Thomas Christopher (@TommyCFB) January 24, 2026
Evaluations for Cleveland are already well underway, with talent evaluators from both the media and the 32 teams themselves weighing in on the potential of the young player. Lance Zierlein of NFL.com released his initial review of Cleveland ahead of the Combine, breaking down some of the interior lineman's strengths and weaknesses. Here's what Zierlein had to say:
"Stubby but stout, Cleveland fights hard to muddy the A-gaps. He has heavy hands that shock on impact and he’s capable of quickly controlling/shedding. His lack of length requires him to gain an early advantage or risk being neutralized by big, long guards. Limited range as a run defender and an inability to pressure the pocket cap his draft slotting and upside. Cleveland’s strength and anchor should help him clog interior lanes as a rotational nose tackle."Lance Zierlein
Competition period toward the end of the second practice! NC State’s Brandon Cleveland makes catching the punt look easy. Showing off the range of abilities!😂 pic.twitter.com/ZhnXQBENw9
— Brandyn Pokrass (@BPok24) January 26, 2026
Zierlein gave Cleveland a 6.10 prospect grade, based on NFL Next Gen Stats. That grade places Cleveland under the category of "Good Backup With The Potential To Develop Into Starter" on the NFL.com draft board. That grade sounds fairly typical for NC State's usual draft prospects, as the program frequently sends players to the league in the later rounds.
Recently, several players with a similar draft background played on the biggest stage. Formerly undrafted defenders Cory Durden, a fellow defensive lineman, and linebacker Drake Thomas each participated in Super Bowl LX, with Thomas hoisting a Lombardi Trophy with the Seattle Seahawks as a major contributor.
Eight different defensive linemen who went through NC State are helping the program's reputation at the next level, which in turn, should help Cleveland's reputation heading into the Combine. The program ranks 12th in the country in NFL defensive line production over the last five years, accounting for 65 sacks and 890 tackles in that period.
Cleveland will try to join that group when he suits up at the Combine, proving his measurables are strong enough for the NFL level. If it all comes together, Cleveland could end up being a steal in the third or fourth round.
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Tucker Sennett graduated summa cum laude with a B.A. in Sports Journalism from the esteemed Walter Cronkite School of Journalism and Mass Communication at Arizona State University. A former basketball player, he has gained valuable experience working at Cronkite News and brings a deep passion for sports and reporting to his role as the NC State Wolfpack Beat Writer On SI.
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