The Cleveland Browns’ rookie class was so good this season that it’s difficult to name one player who stood out above the rest. All of their picks from the 2025 NFL Draft made a significant contribution at some point during the year.
However, the player who was the first pick of the second round eventually proved he was at the top of the class. He made an impression right away at training camp and lived up to that standard throughout the schedule.
That is why PFF analyst Ben Cooper named linebacker Carson Schwesinger as the Browns’ most impactful rookie in 2025.
“Cleveland Browns: LB Carson Schwesinger (Round 2, No. 33 Overall),” Cooper wrote. “Schwesinger just missed out on hearing his name called as a first-rounder, but his play this season was that of a Day 1 pick. Before the UCLA product missed the Browns’ season-finale win over the Bengals due to quad and ankle injuries, he amassed 958 defensive snaps and 106 solo tackles — both top-25 marks among linebackers. Only five linebackers tallied more run stops than his 37.”
Schwesinger made a statement in his NFL debut, with eight combined tackles, one tackle for loss, and one quarterback hit against the Cincinnati Bengals in Week 1. He kept right on going from there, including 10 combined tackles in Cleveland’s upset win against the Green Bay Packers in Week 3.
Even more encouraging was the fact that Schwesinger got better as the season went along. After the Browns’ bye, starting in Week 10, he had a streak of seven straight games with double-digit tackles, ending with back-to-back games of a season-high 14 tackles.
The streak only ended in Week 17 when he was injured against the Pittsburgh Steelers. He played through it to record nine tackles before missing the final game against Cincinnati.
Schwesinger finished the season with 156 combined tackles, 2.5 sacks, two interceptions, 11 tackles for loss, and nine QB hits. Those numbers have made him the overwhelming favorite to win NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year.
He is also the top first-year player on the Browns, an impressive feat considering the presence of defensive tackle Mason Graham, running back Quinshon Judkins, and tight end Harold Fannin Jr., who each displayed Pro Bowl potential and will be building blocks for years to come. Quarterbacks Dillon Gabriel and Shedeur Sanders, and running back Dylan Sampson, showed promise as well.
Now, Schwesinger and the others will look to build on that success and get the Browns into the playoffs next season.
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