Brandon Cleveland has been a fixture on North Carolina State’s defensive line since joining the program in 2022. Now entering his fourth and final season of college football, the veteran lineman has his sights set on the NFL.
In a recent interview with PFSN, Cleveland shared that his professional ambitions are being fueled by former NC State standout and current Detroit Lions defensive lineman Alim McNeill.
Brandon Cleveland Aims To Follow Alim McNeill’s Path From NC State to the NFL
Cleveland was a composite four-star prospect in the 2022 recruiting class. He attended Carrollwood Day School in Tampa, Florida, and received offers from 20 FBS programs before finally choosing North Carolina State.
He’s started on the Wolfpack defensive line for the last two seasons, totaling 71 tackles, 10 TFLs, and four sacks in his three-year college career.
After finishing his final college season, Cleveland plans to enter the 2026 NFL Draft. He recently told PFSN’s Oliver Hodgkinson that watching former NC State defensive lineman McNeill’s rise to the NFL has been a motivating example for his own path.
“I’m a football player, but I’m more than that”
From tackling food insecurity to giving back at a regional hospital, @PackFootball’s Brandon Cleveland (@brandonvibes25) sat down with @PFSN365 to talk about his journey of servitude as a student athlete. https://t.co/dmowuCqvI6
— Oliver Hodgkinson (@hodgkinsonsport) July 19, 2025
“I’ve been fortunate enough to see McNeill and his process from NC State to the NFL,” Cleveland said.
While Cleveland never overlapped with McNeill at NC State, who the Detroit Lions drafted in the third round of the 2021 NFL Draft, his path is good.
McNeill was also a four-star defensive line recruit coming out of high school and a three-year starter for the Wolfpack from 2018 to 2020. While he wasn’t a highly touted prospect entering the NFL, he’s carved out a key role in Detroit and become an essential piece of the Lions’ defense.
Cleveland hopes to follow a similar path. He also told Hodgkinson that several other former NC State players who reached the NFL during his time in the program have served as role models.
“So, it’s just like, you know, Payton Wilson, Thayer Thomas, Drake Thomas, like you’ve seen guys do the right thing and make it to where you want to get,” Cleveland said. “So, you just follow those tracks and hopefully it works out for you, too.”
Currently, there isn’t much draft buzz surrounding the young defensive lineman. However, Cleveland has been one of the ACC’s most consistent performers at his position over the past two seasons.
With another strong year under his belt, he has the potential to emerge as a riser in the 2026 NFL Draft class.
