Ryan Mink: There's no better place to pick Ben Cleveland than in Cleveland. The Ravens were intent on upgrading their offensive line and Cleveland fits their profile. First of all, he's an absolutely huge human being at 6-foot-6, 357 pounds. For reference, Kelechi Osemele, is 6-foot-5, 330 pounds. The Ravens want to line up and simply maul you up front and Cleveland certainly has the size and strength to do so. He's perfect for their gap/power scheme. Cleveland also didn't allow a sack in his final three seasons. Cleveland was a right guard throughout college, which is where veteran free-agent addition Kevin Zeitler lined up. He could be an eventual replacement, or he could push for a starting job at left guard if Bradley Bozeman were moved to center. By the way, Cleveland eats squirrel.
Clifton Brown: Taking an offensive lineman at this spot made perfect sense, especially after trading Orlando Brown Jr. last week. Ben Cleveland is a huge, physical offensive lineman who played guard in the SEC, a conference that Baltimore loves to pluck players from. Cleveland can compete for a starting spot on the offensive line, either as a rookie or in the not-distant future, and he gives the Ravens more options should they decide to move Bradley Bozeman from guard to center.
John Eisenberg: The Ravens waited a long time to make the first of their Day 2 picks. It took more than four hours for the NFL's other 31 teams to draft 60 players before the Ravens were on the clock with the No. 94-overall selection. A lot of good players who had been mocked to Baltimore were gone, but the Ravens are known for finding value and Cleveland is the latest example. A massive guard, he improved dramatically during his college career and should fit right into the Ravens' bruising downhill philosophy. ESPN's Mel Kiper had him ranked among the top five guards in the class. The Ravens needed an interior lineman and it appears they found one.
