The Cleveland Browns made plenty of headlines in the 2025 NFL Draft, most notably when they traded down from No. 2 to No. 5 to select Michigan defensive tackle Mason Taylor instead of staying put and selecting two-way superstar Travis Hunter before eventually drafting a pair of accomplished big-program quarterbacks in Dillon Gabriel and Shedeur Sanders in the third and fifth rounds, respectively.
One of the picks Cleveland made that didn’t generate many headlines, but certainly raised a few eyebrows, was the selection of UCLA linebacker Carson Schwesinger with the 33rd overall pick, and after Monday’s news, there is a little more clarity about what might have gone into that surprising decision.
The Browns released a statement from linebacker Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah on Monday in which the talented young linebacker revealed he won’t be playing in 2025 and also added, “I don’t know what’s next.”
got your back no matter what, @j_owuu 🤞 pic.twitter.com/gFUDjIulgQ
— Cleveland Browns (@Browns) May 12, 2025
It’s not a huge shock given the severity of the injury he suffered, but the most troubling part of the statement was that JOK didn’t say anything about being ready to play in 2026.
He suffered the neck injury against the Baltimore Ravens last season in a collision with Derrick Henry and missed the final nine games of the season.
He was fresh off his first Pro Bowl appearance in 2023 and signed a 3-year, $39 million extension in August of last year, so to see his next few years unfold like this is heartbreaking.
The defense took a noticeable step back as soon as Owusu-Koramoah went out of the lineup, and the hope will be that Schwesinger can make an immediate impact to smooth over the loss of JOK.
He has the full support of this fanbase, and everyone will be pulling for him to make a full recovery regardless of whether or not he suits up again in 2026.
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