Chargers Roster Spotlights: Ben Cleveland, A Former 5-Star Recruit On His Last Chance

Ben Cleveland, born on August 25, 1998, in Toccoa, Georgia, playing his high school ball at Stephens County High, where he played baseball and football. In football, he was an elite high-school recruit, being ranked as a five-star offensive lineman, according to 247Sports. He is the highest-ranked seen so far in the Chargers roster spotlight series.

With offers from nearly any school he could possibly want, Cleveland decided to stay local and commit to Georgia. After a redshirt year, Cleveland started five games, including the 2018 College Football Playoff National Championship game. Going into his third season with the program, he started eight games, missing six due to injury.

His fourth year with the Bulldogs saw Cleveland as the starter for all 13 games, all at right guard. With his final year of eligibility, the Georgia native was selected All-SEC First Team by AP, starting all nine games at right guard. With his college career over, naturally, the next step was the NFL.

NFL Scouts had Cleveland as a mid-round selection describing him as: "[he] isn't just a burly interior lineman. He has a legitimate pro, wide-body frame with desired lean mass and proportional build. He's an average athlete for his size, but there are athletic limitations that will put him into the "lumbering" category if he has to redirect his weight or sustain his movements. The fundamentals into his first strike are sound, but he loses the sustain phase faster than expected for a man with his size and strength. He can be a little slow to process the moving pieces in pass protection, which could become a big issue due to below-average reactive lateral quickness. He should become an average starter, but has a chance to upgrade to quality starter if a team can coach him up to become a more consistent people-mover."

Greg Roman and the Baltimore Ravens selected Cleveland in the third round, where he would play five seasons with the team. Cleveland only started seven games with the team, with fans discussing his off-the-field issues and work ethic as reasons for his time not panning out in Baltimore.

Chargers Ben Cleveland, OL Georgia

With his time in Baltimore over, the 2025 Chargers offensive unit, spearheaded by Greg Roman, decided to take a chance on the former five-star recruit, having him on the practice squad for the final few weeks of the season, eventually signing him to a futures contract for the 2026 year.

NFL Career Stats*

*With such little play time, his entire career stats are below.

688 Offensive Snaps
1 Sack Allowed
16 Pressures Allowed
3 Penalties
59.2 PFF Offensive Grade
58.2 PFF Run Blocking Grade
62.5 PFF Pass Blocking Grade

Measurables

Contract Status

"Ben Cleveland signed a 1 year, $1,215,000 contract with the Los Angeles Chargers, including an average annual salary of $1,215,000. In 2026, Cleveland will earn a base salary of $1,215,000, while carrying a cap hit of $1,075,000." - Spotrac

Ben Cleveland's 2026 Season Outlook

Now with the Los Angeles Chargers, Cleveland does not have much going for him in 2026. He has the former five-star recruiting status coupled with former Day 2 draft pick status (drafted by the team that employed current Chargers GM Joe Hortiz), but outside of that, his outlook is grim.

He has plenty of rookies ahead of him on the depth chart; he is a complete opposite scheme fit considering his mass and "average" athleticism and he no longer has Roman as his offensive coordinator to work around his skills. Cleveland would have to see his talent shine through, going into year six of his career, to make this team.

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