Raiders selected NC State DT Brandon Cleveland with the No. 229 overall pick in the 2026 NFL Draft.

25 April 2026

Cleveland (6’3/307) is a leverage-based interior defender whose middling athletic profile (5.12 RAS) shows up in his play style as a grinder more than a penetrator, but one who consistently controls his gap. He logged 39 tackles with 5 TFL, 2 sacks and 9 run stops in 2025 while posting a strong 92.9% tackle rate and 92.1% run tackle share, underscoring his reliability finishing plays in tight quarters. Cleveland generated just 11 pressures on 257 pass-rush snaps (4.3% pressure rate), as he lacks burst and closing juice, instead relying on hand usage and positioning to muddy the pocket.