Cleveland Ready for U.S. Army All-American Bowl

Stephens County’s Ben Cleveland is getting ready to showcase his football abilities in front of a national audience this weekend.

On Saturday, Cleveland will be playing in the U.S. Army All-American Bowl in San Antonio, Texas.

Each year, the U.S. Army All-American Bowl features 90 of the country’s best high school senior football players split into East and West teams.

The teams have been practicing all week for Saturday’s game.

Cleveland said those practices are going well.

“The first day of practice, everybody kind of started a little rough, rusty because our football season has been over for a couple of months now, so everybody was kind of getting their gears back in line,” said Cleveland on Tuesday. “We got out here today and I think offense made some great improvements as well as defense, but overall, I think over the week we are going to continue to get better and better and be ready for Saturday.”

Cleveland, who plays offensive tackle, says that playing in this game gives him a chance to test himself against other top players and help prepare for playing college football at the University of Georgia.

It has also given him a chance to work on the same team as friend and fellow University of Georgia commitment Jacob Eason, who is on Cleveland’s team this week.

Cleveland said that it is a great opportunity to get to know each other on the field before college.

“It has given him a chance to see what he is going to be coming into, having me block for him next year, and it has also given me a chance to look and see what I am going to be blocking for next year,” said Cleveland. “It is going to open both our eyes up a little bit, kind of see what each other needs to work on and in the long run, help each other with that.”

Saturday’s game will be broadcast nationally on NBC.

However, Cleveland said he does not think the setting will be an issue.

“It is not any different from high school ball,” said Cleveland. “The only thing that is different is that there are a lot of cameras on you and a lot more eyes on you, but the main thing with that is just keeping your head straight down and focusing on what I have to do as a player.”

Cleveland went on to say that he just wants to represent Toccoa and Stephens County High School the best he can.

“I am going to try to make them proud,” said Cleveland of his hometown. “Just do the best that I can and work with what God has blessed me with and the opportunities He has given me.”

Saturday’s U.S. Army All-American Bowl will be broadcast at 1 p.m. on NBC from the Alamodome in San Antonio.

Following this weekend’s game, Cleveland will return home and then move on to enroll this semester at UGA.