#44

Brandon Cleveland

Former defensive tackle at NC State. 2025: 2 sacks, 7 tackles for loss, 36 tackles.

DT · NC State · Sr. · #44

6′4″ · 315 lb · Tampa, FL

CFB Index 78 · #44 of 330 interior linemenLow confidenceDrafted by Las Vegas — Rd 7, Pick 13, #229 overall

How he plays

Controls the point of attack and doesn't move.

Tackles for loss: 90th percentile.

The full scouting read

The numbers

sacks · 2025

7 TFL · 36 tackles · 3 hurries

Best game: 1 sacks, 2.5 TFL, 5 tackles, at Duke

His career numbers, season by season

The story

Former defensive tackle at NC State. 2025: 2 sacks, 7 tackles for loss, 36 tackles.

Signed as a 4-star recruit to NC State in 2022.
Drafted round 7 by the Las Vegas in 2026.

His career, year by year

How it ended

Four seasons at NC State, 105 tackles — drafted at #229 overall by Las Vegas.

His career

He barely played early on. Then he did not come off the field.

20224 games

Signed with NC State4-star out of Carrollwood Day

2026

Drafted by Las Vegasround 7, pick 229

Career arc

Recruit

★★★★

#384 national

CFB

College

NC State

2022–2025

NFL

NFL Draft

R7 · #229

Las Vegas · 2026

Coaching lineage · 2022–2025

1 coach

2022–2025

Dave Doeren

NC State

Played his entire career under Dave Doeren.

Where He Ended Up · NFL

Las Vegas2026 NFL rookie season

#229Rd 7 · Pick 13

Las Vegas2026 NFL rookie season

View college career stats ↓

2025 snapshot

Season context · Team result + system

4 seasons under Dave Doeren — 31-21 over that span.

2022NC State8-5HC: Dave Doeren · Balanced

2023NC State9-4HC: Dave Doeren · Run-leaning

2024NC State6-7HC: Dave Doeren · Balanced, slow tempo

2025NC State8-5HC: Dave Doeren · Balanced

Where this defender ranks vs the field

Box-score production percentiles vs the position cohort

78All-Conference level #44 of 330?

Low confidence6 metrics · season cumulative

Elite: tackles for loss (90th percentile). Strength: qb hurries (82nd percentile). Concern: passes defended (18th percentile).

Box-score production (6)

Tackles for loss#277 / 2975 · 90th pct

7.0

QB hurries#457 / 2975 · 82nd pct

Sacks#487 / 2975 · 80th pct

2.0

Tackles#1060 / 2975 · 64th pct

Solo tackles#1735 / 2975 · 40th pct

Passes defended#1916 / 2975 · 18th pct

Percentiles are versus same-position peers with enough snaps this season, based on box-score production. There are no play-by-play efficiency bars here: CFBD's play-value model credits offensive players only, so no defensive EPA exists to rank.

Splits & context

Splits · Per-game

2025 season · 12 games

Home/Road · Season halves

Home vs Road

	TKL/g	TFL/g	SACK/g	PD/g
Home8g	2.1	0.4	0.1	0.0
Road4g	4.8	0.9	0.2	0.0

First half vs Second half

	TKL/g	TFL/g	SACK/g	PD/g
Weeks 1-77g	2.7	0.8	0.1	0.0
Weeks 8+5g	3.4	0.3	0.2	0.0

Supporting cast · Scheme

Staff and system around the player

2026 season

Head Coach

Dave Doeren

Scheme reads (pass share, tempo, sack rate) need at least 3 team games — 2 games in so far.

Awards

Player standing · 2025

Backup

On the two-deep and pushing for snaps.

Recognition

Roster2-deepStarterRecognizedEliteApex

Production · CFB Index Score

78 · #44 of 330 interior linemen

Former four-star. Now #44 at the position.

Career stats

Season	Team
2025	NC State	36	12	7.0	2.0	--	--	--
2024	NC State	36	10	3.5	0.5	1	--	--
2023	NC State	28	13	4.5	3.0	--	--	--
2022	NC State	5	--	1.0	0.5	--	--	--
Career		105	35	16.0	6.0	1	--	--

Signature game

SIGNATURE GAME · Week 2 · 2025

W 35–31

vs Virginia

0 TFL · 1 TOT

Edged out Virginia at home in a shootout.

With C. Bailey — 200 yds · 1 TD · 0 INT · QBR 90.0 · 44 rush yds (6 car) · 2 TD · C. Noonkester — 49 AVG · 1 IN 20 · 58 LONG

Game log

Game log · Week-by-week