Made in Tampa: NC State's Brandon Cleveland caps college career in community that shaped him at Gasparilla Bowl

TAMPA, Fla. — A grin flashed across his face when he thought about it. His final game of his college career, the one he spent four years working towards at NC State, was going to come in his hometown.  Not many players can cap a chapter of their life in the very place it started, but for Wolfpack senior defensive tackle Brandon Cleveland, the Gasparilla Bowl at Raymond James Stadium holds a special meaning. Yes, it’ll mark his four bowl appearance in as many years of his career as he looks to help the Pack win its first postseason game since 2017, but being able to return to the Central Florida coast for his final collegiate contest seemed to bring joy to the Pack’s standout lineman.  After all, Tampa served a critical part in his growth from a budding football prospect and helped turn Cleveland into one of the most-gracious, yet ferocious players on the football field. The community that gave so much to him will finally get to see Cleveland’s work come to fruition as he eyes his next step in his playing career: a leap to the NFL. But before NC State and Memphis kick off on Friday afternoon (2:30 p.m., ESPN) at the home of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, it’s important to know how Cleveland made it to this point. It took more than just him and his mother, rather it was a community effort that helped the standout nose tackle become one of the ACC’s most-stout interior defenders.  “I have so many friends, mentors, and family members in Tampa that I really wouldn’t be here without them,” Cleveland said in a recent interview with TheWolfpacker.com. “Just them looking out for me, taking me to practice, helping shape me into a young man. I’m just appreciative of the village I have down there.”