Jim Schwartz gives promising early review of rookie who the Browns gave a fully guaranteed deal to despite not being a first round pick
The Cleveland Browns used their first two picks in the 2025 NFL Draft on the defensive side of the ball—a somewhat surprising move, given how much the offense struggled last season.
Mason Graham was a player they didn’t want to pass up along the defensive interior, especially after acquiring an extra first-round pick in 2026 by trading back with the Jacksonville Jaguars. Cleveland was still able to land a really good player along with the extra draft capital.
Many expected the Browns to target a quarterback early in the second round, but that’s where the first major surprise came. Cleveland selected linebacker Carson Schwesinger out of UCLA, which signaled that Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah likely won’t be playing in 2025. With JOK out, the Browns needed to secure another high-upside linebacker—and they believe they found that in Schwesinger.
“Carson, a little bit like Mason [Graham], it’s hard to see where they are right now, but he’s working really hard,” defensive coordinator Jim Schwartz said last week. “He picks things up really fast, and he’s big and he’s athletic. So, he’s got a lot of good things going for him.”
The last part of Schwartz’s comment encapsulates who Schwesinger is. He’s a smart, instinctive player who flies around the field in a style reminiscent of Owusu-Koramoah. Cleveland clearly missed JOK last season after he suffered a neck injury against the Ravens; the defense wasn’t the same without him.
Schwesinger may have the best chance of any Browns rookie to make an immediate impact in 2025. The opportunity is there. Don’t be surprised if he racks up the solo tackles much like he did last season when he was an All-American-level player with the Bruins.
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