Cleveland Elam (April 5, 1952 – July 12, 2012) was an American professional football defensive tackle who played in the National Football League (NFL) for the San Francisco 49ers and Detroit Lions in an injury-shortened five-year career that lasted from 1975 to 1979.
Teaming with Cedric Hardman, Jimmy Webb and Tommy Hart, the 49ers Gold Rush defensive line led the NFL in sacks during the 1976 season.
Elam played college football at Tennessee State University and was drafted in the fourth round of the 1975 NFL draft by the 49ers.
He was survived by his wife Blanche and four children.
This biographical article relating to an American football defensive lineman born in the 1950s is a stub.