Biggest concerns for the top five Vikings rookies from the 2020 NFL Draft

Top concern about Ezra Cleveland:

Strength

Boise State lineman Ezra Cleveland was one of the prospects receiving the most buzz as the 2020 NFL Draft approached. There was talk he could go in the first round and plenty of rumors had him being selected as early as the 10th overall pick to the Cleveland Browns.

So it was a surprise to many when he fell all the way to the Vikings at pick No. 58, but they wasted little time in snapping him up.

Cleveland is seen as a perfect fit in Gary Kubiak’s zone-blocking scheme. He’s extremely athletic and quick out of his stance. He can get outside in a hurry and also get to the second level quickly to make blocks down the field that can add an additional 10 to15 yards per carry.

Cleveland is an exciting pick for Minnesota and he is seen as the left tackle of the future. “Future” is the keyword because many believe he’ll need to add strength before he’s able to see the field for an extended period of time.

That concern is legit. On tape, it’s rare to see Cleveland overpower and pancake a defender. He does a great job of pushing them out of the way or fending them off, but he rarely uses pure strength to knock his man down. This is a problem that can be easily rectified by getting him into the Vikings’ strength and conditioning program.

Hopefully, he can soon. And from the sounds of it, Minnesota already has big plans for this kid in year one.