Who is Brady Cleveland? A look at the 47th overall pick drafted by Detroit Red Wings

The Detroit Red Wings have continued their rebuilding process by selecting defenseman Brady Cleveland in the second round of the 2023 NHL Draft. The 6-foot-5 defenseman from Wausau, Wisconsin, will join an up-and-coming Red Wings team as it looks to return to Stanley Cup contention.

A member of the gold medal-winning United States team at the U-18 World Championships, Brady Cleveland was projected to be a late second-round, early third-round pick. The young defenseman was selected by the Detroit Red Wings with the 47th-overall pick, ahead of many expert projections, including NHL Insider Bob McKenzie, who had him ranked 90th in the class.

"Damn I thought Brady Cleveland would be around for the Rangers at 91. Hoping that fellow USNTDP defenseman Drew Fortescue is there for them #NYR #NHLDraft2023" - @KHallNY

A rugged, big-bodied defender, Cleveland will not be looked at as a point-producing defenseman, yet his 6-5 frame will help shut down the opposition. The left-handed defender will provide the Wings with a tough, gritty presence on the blue line, which should help him grow popular among fans in the city of Detroit.

That being said, it may be some time before we see Cleveland play in the NHL for the Detroit Red Wings as the 18-year-old has already announced his commitment to playing with the University of Wisconsin Badgers for the 2023-24 season. Some experts believe that he may take a few seasons to develop before he is NHL-ready.

"In round 2, the Red Wings get Trey Augustine at pick 41, Andrew Gibson at pick 42. They traded pick 43 to Nashville for pick 47 and 147. Brady Cleveland at pick 47. #LGRW" - @ZackR1999

Cleveland will join an exciting core of young defensemen for the Detroit Red Wings that includes the 2022 Calder Memorial Trophy Moritz Seider, Gustav Lindström and 2023 first-round pick Axel Sandin Pellikka.

Brady Cleveland joins an exciting 2023 draft class for the Detroit Red Wings

The 2023 NHL Draft was an important one for the Detroit Red Wings as the team had several picks in the first few rounds. The team had two picks inside the first round, selecting Nate Danielson with the ninth overall pick and defenseman Axel Sandin Pellikka with the 17th overall pick.

"New @EPRinkside: With exciting rushes and shutdown potential, Nate Danielson brings both certainty and upside." - @MitchLBrown

It followed the first round with a busy second round, selecting three players, including Trey Augustine (41), Andrew Gibson (42) and Brady Cleveland (47). Later in the draft, the Wings took Noah Dower Nilsson (73), Larry Keenan (117), Jack Phelan (137), Kevin Bicker (147), Rudy Guimond (169) and Emmitt Finnie (201).