NC State defensive tackle Brandon Cleveland has been drafted by the Las Vegas Raiders in the seventh round, No. 229 overall, in the 2026 NFL Draft.
The Tampa, Fla. native started 25 of his last 26 collegiate games after arriving in Raleigh as a true freshman in the summer of 2022. He set a career high in snaps with 60 against Pitt in a game in which he also tied his career best in tackles with six.
Cleveland finished his career with the Wolfpack with 107 total tackles, including 16 tackles for a loss of 45 yards, six sacks for a loss of 26 yards, two forced fumbles, and one fumble recovered. He also gave back to the City of Oaks off the gridiron through various philanthropic efforts, including aiding Johnny’s Pizza in feeding an unhoused community in Moore Square in downtown Raleigh, handing out school supplies for elementary and middle school students with Boys & Girls Club, and donating $2,000 of his NIL money toward NC State and North Carolina’s Pantry Bowl collective to fight food insecurity.
He joins former Wolfpack punter A.J. Cole, III and will look to slot into the Raiders’ base 3-4 defense where nine-year veteran Adam Butler is listed as the first-string nose tackle.
