The Cleveland Browns want to be a hard-hitting and gritty team on defense this season.
That’s why they set their sights on an absolute competitor and selected Carson Schwesinger with the first pick of the second round in the 2025 NFL Draft.
Brent Sobleski of Bleacher Report believes Schwesinger is the likeliest non-first-rounder to make a major impact on the team in 2025.
“We might as well start with the initial selection outside of this year’s first round, where the Cleveland Browns selected linebacker Carson Schwesinger. Whether Schwesinger is handed the defensive reins from the onset of his career has yet to be determined. But he’s almost certainly going to be on the field and starting. His movement skills are outstanding, and he has a nose for the football to amass a significant amount of tackles,” Sobleski wrote.
Schwesinger’s drawn buzz throughout the offseason, as he reportedly caught on to the defensive system very quickly.
He’s also turned heads with his work ethic and physicality.
The Browns need him to be ready right away.
Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah is out for the season with a neck injury he suffered last year, and veteran Jordan Hicks announced his retirement.
The table was already set for Schwesinger to be a starter, but Hicks’ retirement may have sealed the deal.
Of course, Schwesinger will have to go through a learning curve, so there will be growing pains along the way.
Even though banking on a rookie isn’t always wise, Schwesinger looks like the type of player who feeds off that type of pressure and responsibility.
Coordinator Jim Schwartz’s defense needs to bounce back from a tough season, and having a ball-hawking run-stopper with a knack for making plays will help the cause.
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