During Monday’s padded practice, Cleveland Browns’ rookie linebacker Carson Schwesinger delivered the kind of hit that reverberates through an entire training camp.
Selected 33rd overall from UCLA, Schwesinger has been positioned as the potential replacement for Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah, who will miss the 2025 season with a neck injury.
During full-contact drills on the fifth day of camp, Schwesinger provided a glimpse of what that transition might look like.
He met rookie running back Dylan Sampson in the hole with a thunderous collision that sent the Tennessee product to the turf and sparked an immediate celebration from the defensive sideline.
“Stopped recording right before the end but Carson Schwesinger just met Dylan Sampson in the hole and put him on his back. Whole defensive sideline got hype,” ESPN’s Daniel Oyefusi wrote. Insider Brad Stainbrook added, “Dylan Sampson just got lit up.”
Stopped recording right before the end but Carson Schwesinger just met Dylan Sampson in the hole and put him on his back. Whole defensive sideline got hype. https://t.co/lWeFtxFlul pic.twitter.com/l2O7yduTJ2
— Daniel Oyefusi (@DanielOyefusi) July 28, 2025
Dylan Sampson just got lit up. pic.twitter.com/g5dO03TbFf
— Brad Stainbrook (@StainbrookNFL) July 28, 2025
The fourth-round pick, Sampson, bounced back quickly from the heavy contact and continued with drills.
But the moment carried weight beyond the single play. Teammates swarmed around Schwesinger while defensive coordinator Jim Schwartz offered approving nods from his spot on the sideline.
Schwesinger walked on at UCLA before earning team captain honors and finishing his college career with 136 tackles and four sacks.
His draft stock rose after impressive athletic testing that included a 39.5-inch vertical jump and strong agility numbers.
With Cleveland’s offense still sorting through quarterback questions, the defense appears ready to carry significant responsibility.
Schwesinger has positioned himself as a central figure in that effort through his physicality and developing leadership presence.
Friday’s collision was a single moment in a long camp process. Yet it suggested Schwesinger may be prepared for the larger role that awaits him when the season begins.
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