CUP OF JOE: The Doghouse Has a Vacancy

Ben Cleveland was the Ravens first 3rd round pick in the 2021, the 94th overall. He left the University of Georgia at a 1st-team all SEC guard and a 3rd-team All-American with scouting grades that projected him to be a solid backup and a potential starter.

Word is that there was some debate in the Ravens war room concerning the pick, but ironically it was John Harbaugh who was adamant that it should be Cleveland. Still on the board with higher draft grades and described as the darling of the 2021 Senior Bowl and an eventual “plus” starter was Quinn Meinerz, who has since become a first team All Pro in Denver.

Imagine the 2025 Ravens with Meinerz at right guard instead of Daniel Faalele!

Similar draft day mistakes are made by all teams. Perhaps some players peak at the collegiate level while others still have upside, leaving it up to the coaching staff to harness and develop the scouted talent. Initially, Harbaugh saw something in Cleveland.

But Ben flunked conditioning tests. He disappointed and apparently wasn’t an impressive practice player. During his 5 seasons so far in Baltimore, Cleveland started in 7 of the 64 games he’s dressed. Two of his 7 starts were during games that had no bearing on the Ravens playoff seeding. It’s safe to say that the pick was a draft day failure.

It appeared as if the Ravens said their final goodbyes to the former Bulldog following the 2024 season, opening a vacancy in Harbaugh’s doghouse. But surprisingly, they re-signed Cleveland in March of this year, presumably to be a reserve guard.

Prior to re-signing with the Ravens, Cleveland was arrested by the Baldwin County, GA Sheriff’s Office for DUI and failure to maintain lane. According to authorities, Cleveland blew a .178 on a breathalyzer test on February 12, 2025. It has been said that the drunken binge was part of Cleveland’s response to his wife’s alleged adultery, which she continues to deny.

New Ravens OL Ben Cleveland is 6-foot-6, 343 pounds and is built like a ROCK pic.twitter.com/UO3qBp9oIZ

— Sarah Ellison (@sgellison) May 1, 2021

Despite the DUI, despite the disappointment, despite his high occupancy rate in the doghouse, the Ravens brought Ben back anyway. Maybe it was as simple as Eric DeCosta signing a cheap, desperate vet with no NFL life lines left who was familiar with the system as a risk-free signing.

But nothing changed. Cleveland still failed to impress Harbaugh enough to earn any playing time despite sitting behind a guard on the depth chart whose athleticism is reminiscent of the robot on the old CBS series, Lost in Space.

And now, the squirrel hunting former bull has been suspended for 3 games for using a banned substance. He’s also more than likely out of lifelines in Baltimore.

The excitement in that war room 4+ years ago seems like such a distant and improbable memory today. And now, we can only hope that the 27-year-old can get his life together and one day find another lifeline in the NFL.

Only next time, stay out of the head coach’s doghouse.

The post CUP OF JOE: The Doghouse Has a Vacancy appeared first on Russell Street Report.

Source: https://russellstreetreport.com/2025/12/11/cup-of-joe/ben-cleveland-finished-in-baltimore/