The early returns from the 2026 NFL Draft have been quite positive for the Las Vegas Raiders. Nearly every draft expert or talking head has praised John Spytek and the front office's haul, in part due to their obvious selection of Fernando Mendoza, but also due to the work they did in the later rounds.
Selecting Jermod McCoy in Round 4 may end up being an all-time draft steal, and pairing up Arizona defensive backs and best friends, Treydan Stukes and Dalton Johnson, was a good move both on and off the field. Mike Washington Jr. has some serious potential as Ashton Jeanty's backup as well.
But, as is typical, some of the very-late-rounders haven't gotten as much love. Seventh-round defensive tackle Brandon Cleveland from NC State, however, recently drew some significant praise from a college scout who believes Cleveland is a gem that the Raiders unearthed in Round 7.
Las Vegas Raiders may have gotten seventh-round steal in Brandon Cleveland
Eric Galko, the director of football operations and player personnel for the Shrine Bowl, a coveted college all-star game that takes place annually during the pre-draft cycle, lauded the Raiders' pick of Cleveland. His claims would indicate that Cleveland was a massive steal in the seventh round.
"The #Raiders landed a powerful, NFL-ready interior defensive lineman in Brandon Cleveland," Galko wrote. "A two-year starter at NC State who showed the ability to hold the point of attack in the run game at 6’3 and 307, but also the ability to penetrate to finish in the backfield. His 7 TFLs this year (and 10 over the last two years) highlight his three-down value for the Raiders defense."
If Cleveland really is NFL-ready, as Galko claims, then Spytek and the front office need to give themselves another pat on the back. Finding players who are immediately able to contribute at any point on Day 3 is impressive, but especially toward the very-end of the event.
Cleveland projects as more of a nose tackle in the NFL, even if he spent a lot of time at the 3-technique in college. A nose tackle isn't likely to be a three-down player, as Galko claims, because the Raiders probably won't be in their base 3-4 defense all that often.
But if Cleveland can even just be a fixture on early downs against the run and carve out a role at the nose alongside J.J. Pegues and others, then that is a massive win in Round 7. For a lot of teams, having a seventh-rounder make the roster is considered good, so this would be a step beyond that.
Look, I don't want to anoint Cleveland even as a rotational player before he gets a chance to put on the pads for the Raiders. But the reception of Las Vegas' draft class has just been so high across the board that it's no surprise folks are even expecting contributions from the Raiders' 10th and final pick.
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