The Browns heard the clamoring for some offensive firepower this offseason and responded in a big way. General manager Andrew Berry injected a potent dose of explosiveness into the receiving corps when he nabbed Texas A&M firecracker KC Concepcion with the team's second first-round pick. Concepcion had 185 grabs, 2,218 yards, and 25 touchdowns in his three-year college career split between North Carolina State and Texas A&M.
Fans got their first look at the rookie in competitive action in his new colors on Saturday in the Browns' preseason tilt against the Chicago Bears. On a day when the offense was mostly kept in neutral, Concepcion bucked the trend. He hauled in three of his four targets for 27 yards and also found paydirt for Cleveland's lone touchdown of the day on a 14-yard rush.
His impact wasn't limited to offense, as Concepcion was able to turn his lone punt return into a sizable 31-yard gain. From a 10,000-foot view, it looked impressive. We're happy to report that the advanced analysis from Pro Football Focus was glowing as well. Concepcion's 77.6 offensive grade over 25 snaps was second-highest on the team, behind only fellow wideout Gage Larvadain.
KC Concepcion is proving the NFL transition isn't going to be too big for him
It's never easy to predict how a rookie will acclimate to the NFL. Sometimes, they hit the ground running like Josh Gordon in 2012, racking up 805 yards and five TDs in his first crack at things in the NFL. Other players need some time to season — or entirely switch positions — like Terrelle Pryor breaking out in 2016, four years after entering the league as a quarterback. Either way, it's far too early to draw conclusions.
If we were, though, Concepcion is leaning more Gordon than Pryor, minus the suspension issues, we hope.
As far as acclimating goes, it appears the SEC prepared him well for the bright lights of professional football. Concepcion wasn't alone, as he and more than a dozen other rookies took center stage at Huntington Bank Field for the first time. Still, a natural question for him and his fellow rookies would be whether there were any surprises being out there with an opposing team to face.
In fairness to him, earlier in his media availability he acknowledged that, while practicing against his teammates has prepared him somewhat for the speed of the game, it was still faster once he got out on the field. Regardless, when telling what surprised him the most on the field, Concepcion was cold as ice.
"Did anything surprise me? Uh... how many TV timeouts there is."KC Concepcion
The hulking defensive linemen, the thousands of spectators, the nervous sweat emanating from teammates and opponents who are fighting for their livelihood? That's light work for KC. He's all business and all he was focused on was getting back to playing ball. At the risk of making too much out of nothing, that kind of answer will fire up a desperate fanbase in a hurry.
The Browns have been lacking a bona fide No. 1 receiver since Amari Cooper was quietly traded away in 2024. While Jerry Jeudy has had his moments, 2025 was a major step back. Whether he's able to turn things around won't make or break the Browns' passing game this season, and a big reason why is the Browns' addition of KC Concepcion.
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