Cleveland Browns: 3 rookies who will make the biggest impact in 2021

2. WR Anthony Schwartz

Schwartz will likely be fourth, or perhaps even fifth, on the Browns depth chart this season, and considering that the team used three or more receivers on only 44% of plays, that doesn’t leave a whole lot of snaps for the backups. But Schwartz has a dominant trait at the level of very few in the league; truly elite speed.

The loss to the Kansas City Chiefs was a microcosm of the issues of the Cleveland offense; defenses did not respect the passing game, even though Baker Mayfield was playing at a league-best level. That must change if the team wants to win a Super Bowl, and adding Schwartz along with Odell Beckham Jr. is how the team has decided to address the problem.

Schwartz, at 20 years old, is very raw, as his offense in college did his development no favors. Yet he is fully capable of contributing early as a jet player, stretching the defense laterally, and using his excellent speed to stretch the secondary vertically.

This will open up underneath routes for Jarvis Landry, Rashard Higgins, and the tight ends, and reduce the amount of stacked boxes that the running backs must face. On 15-20 snaps per game, Schwartz can do much, even if he isn’t touching the ball. The mere threat of his presence will be enough to forced defenses to think twice about selling out to stop the run, and will begin to unlock the true potential of Mayfield.