The Cleveland Browns swung for the fences with their first pick of the second round of the 2025 NFL Draft, and they definitely nailed it. Carson Schwesinger wasn’t the most sought-after or well-known prospect in the football scene two years ago, but everybody knows his name now.
The rookie out of UCLA has looked like a proven veteran out there. He’s beating players at the line of scrimmage, chasing running backs from sideline to sideline, and just making plays all over the field in every single game.
That’s why Jeff Legwold of ESPN believes he’s been one of the best rookies in the game this season.
In fact, he just chose him as the absolute best rookie in the league:
“Schwesinger is a former walk-on at UCLA who is now the favorite for Defensive Rookie of the Year. He has the processing speed of a former bioengineering major in the middle of coordinator Jim Schwartz’s defense. And his physicality has helped Schwesinger rank in the NFL’s top 11 for total tackles. Among those players, Schwesinger has the most tackles for loss (10) and the most QB hits (six),” Legwold wrote.
Schwesinger is the odds-on favorite to win Defensive Player of the Year, and for very good reasons. He’s drawn comparisons to Carolina Panthers legend Luke Kuechly, and he looks like someone who can be the quarterback of the defense and a green-dot player for the next decade-plus if he stays healthy. He’s also drawn praise for his impressive work ethic.
The Browns were in desperate need of an influx of young talent. They found it with most of the players they took in the 2025 NFL Draft.
But even in a draft class full of talent and with several potential stars, including Mason Graham, the No. 5 pick, Schwesinger seems to be in a tier of his own.
Hopefully, he’ll stay healthy and will continue to get better every year.
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