The Cleveland Browns haven’t won many games this year, but they might’ve won the 2025 NFL Draft.
According to an ESPN poll of five analysts and reporters entering Week 14, the Browns have two of the league’s top 10 rookies on their roster — including No. 1 overall.
Rising six spots from the panel's original rankings after Week 6, Browns middle linebacker Carson Schwesinger landed in the top spot, ahead of wide receiver Tetairoa McMillan of the Carolina Panthers, wide receiver Emeka Egbuka of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, and tight end Tyler Warren of the Indianapolis Colts.
Senior writer Jeff Legwold called Schwesinger, a former walk-on at UCLA, the clear favorite for Defensive Rookie of the Year entering the final month of the regular season.
“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).”
He was the lone defensive player to make the panel’s top 10, with Browns running back Quinshon Judkins at No. 8. Jaxson Dart of the New York Giants was the lone quarterback to make the cut, coming in at No. 6.
The early returns on Cleveland’s draft class have been promising overall, with No. 5 overall pick Mason Graham gaining steam, fifth-round quarterback Shedeur Sanders now starting, and tight end Harold Fannin Jr. emerging as the team’s No. 1 receiver.
Schwesinger’s been on another level, though, piling up 42 total tackles and seven tackles for loss over the Browns’ last four games alone. He enters Week 14 ranked within Pro Football Focus’ top 25 inside linebackers in run defense, pass rush, and coverage grades.
Will the Cleveland Browns’ 2025 rookie class be enough to save general manager Andrew Berry’s job?
General manager Andrew Berry and head coach Kevin Stefanski just signed contract extensions with the Browns in the summer of 2024, but the team has now won just six of its last 29 games, and calls to clean house will only grow louder if Cleveland continues to struggle down the stretch.
Berry’s recent draft hits are a major feather in his cap, but it might not be enough to mask a roster with clear question marks and problem areas, especially at key position groups like quarterback, wide receiver and offensive tackle.
The front office’s decision to punt on drafting an offensive lineman this year has emerged as a legitimate second-guess, as just about everyone outside of tackles Dawand Jones, Cornelius Lucas, and KT Leveston are scheduled to hit 2026 free agency in March.
The mismanagement at the quarterback position has also been glaring, with veterans like Joe Flacco and Kenny Pickett joining the team for a cup of coffee before ultimately getting shipped out. Third-round rookie Dillon Gabriel was pulled after seven games as the starter, and time will tell whether the team will stick with Sanders, pivot back to Deshaun Watson, or seek an alternate solution during the 2026 offseason.
Berry might’ve nailed the best draft pick of the 2025 class when he selected Schwesinger No. 33 overall, but the grounds for dismissal are already there. The team will have to respond in a big way to avoid a regime change for the fourth time in 10 years.