Every franchise needs a face. For years, that role in Cleveland belonged to Myles Garrett, whose talent and personality made him the centerpiece of the defense and the organization. When Garrett was traded this offseason, the Browns lost more than a pass rusher. They also left an open question about who would become the next player the team is built around, and one voice inside the building believes the answer is already wearing a Browns jersey.
Nathan Zegura made the case for Carson Schwesinger on Browns Daily.
“Carson Schwesinger, what a guy. 15 tackles, two sacks, two tackles for loss, two quarterback hits, and a forced fumble in this game. He’s spectacular. Freshman year, didn’t start. Sophomore year, didn’t start. He only started his junior year. That’s it. Led the nation in solo tackles. But you would think guys like that played a thousand snaps in the NFL. It’s like he is a veteran. People keep saying Luke Kuechly. This is one of the great gems to be found in college from the draft, and one of the best picks. This is a guy that, in our opinion, should be a very face of this franchise guy. Should be on everything that we do. I don’t know that there are enough accolades for how good he is,” Zegura said.
a generational talent in @C_Schwesinger 🙌
watch more on @Browns_Daily! pic.twitter.com/LylSl5r1UE
— Cleveland Browns (@Browns) November 12, 2026
Schwesinger’s path makes his rise even more remarkable. He walked on at UCLA and did not become a starter until his final college season, when he led the country in solo tackles. That one year was enough for the Browns to take him with the 33rd overall pick in 2025.
He has played like a seasoned veteran ever since. Schwesinger won AP Defensive Rookie of the Year last season after making 156 tackles with 11 tackles for loss, 2.5 sacks and 2 interceptions. Through 25 career games, he already has 245 tackles.
His 2nd season has been even better in some areas. Schwesinger has 89 tackles, 3 sacks, 5 tackles for loss and 3 forced fumbles through 9 games, and he has reached double digits in tackles 5 times. His performance in New Orleans was his best yet, and it came while he played through wrist and ankle injuries.
The Luke Kuechly comparison is a big one. Kuechly is a Hall of Famer who won Defensive Player of the Year in his 2nd season and became the face of the Carolina Panthers. Schwesinger is not there yet, but the way he diagnoses plays and finishes tackles explains why the name keeps coming up.
Zegura’s broader point fits where the Browns are as a franchise. The roster is full of young talent, but the quarterback position is still unsettled and Jared Verse has not produced the way many expected after the Garrett trade. Schwesinger is 23, already decorated and producing every week.
The Browns host the Houston Texans on Sunday. Schwesinger will be in the middle of the defense again, and he will have another chance to show why he has a strong claim to being the face of this team.
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