We are only a month into the season, but it’s hard not to be excited about the rookie class for the Cleveland Browns. And with Dillon Gabriel now inserted into the lineup, this group could start to look even better.
The best player from the group has been Carson Schwesinger, the second-round pick at linebacker. From the moment he stepped onto the field, he’s been a high-level starter and his coverage ability is exactly what Cleveland has been missing the last few years. And with each passing week, he’s quickly rising up the linebacker rankings across the NFL.
Schwesinger is the NFL’s best defensive rookie
In a recent article by Pro Football Focus, they named their all-quarter team through the first four games of the 2025 season. Schwesigner made an appearance on the list as PFF named him the top defensive rookie in the league to start the season. Here is what the site had to say about the former UCLA star after four starts:
"New York Giants edge defender Abdul Carter and Philadelphia Eagles linebacker Jihaad Campbell are also in the running here, but it is Schwesinger who takes the spot at this point in the year. One of just five linebackers in the NFL with a PFF grade above 75.0 both against the run and in coverage, his 84.1 overall PFF grade is the best among all rookie linebackers."Pro Football Focus
Schwesigner has played 97 percent of the defensive snaps for the Browns this year, and he’s played at least 52 snaps in all four games this season. He’s already racked up 31 tackles and a stunning 15 solo tackles through four games. Schwesinger has also tallied two tackles for a loss, two quarterback hits, and one sack. But his impact goes well beyond the box score as he’s helped transform this defense into one of the league’s best.
The Browns are hopeful that the additions of Mason Graham and Schwesinger can help them remain one of the league’s top defenses not only for the 2025 season, but beyond. And so far, the two defensive rookies in Cleveland have been ever better than advertised. Schwesinger has been a revelation for the Browns, and his play has helped ease the pain from the Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah injury that will cause him to miss the entire year.
The sky is the limit for Schwesinger, and after just four games, it won’t be a shock to see him mentioned among the league’s top linebackers by the end of the 2025 season. In fact, at this point, he seems like a near lock to make the Pro Bowl in the AFC. And that’s pretty hard to do as a Day 2 rookie.