The last two draft classes for the Cleveland Browns have been successful, and that should bode well for them in the years ahead. The 2025 NFL Draft brought in crucial players such as Carson Schwesinger, Harold Fannin Jr., Quinshon Judkins, and Mason Graham. From there, the likes of Spencer Fano, KC Concepcion, and Denzel Boston could be big-time players from this year’s impressive class as well.
Cleveland has a ways to go, but these past couple of drafts could eventually be viewed as franchise-defining.
Admittedly, the Browns did not have nearly the same success in their drafts prior to 2025, in large part because of the Deshaun Watson trade. On the plus side, it does appear Cleveland ended up getting one of the top players from the 2024 draft after all in standout Jared Verse, via the franchise's major decision to trade Myles Garrett to the Los Angeles Rams on June 1.
To that point, Verse was highlighted as being one of the league’s best in his class in a recent piece by Zachary Pereles of CBS Sports, where he redrafted the 2024 first round. Pereles had Verse going No. 4 overall to the Arizona Cardinals, citing how even with them going with Marvin Harrison Jr. there originally, they could have used help on the edge and Verse has balled out thus far.
"The Cardinals' depth chart entering the 2024 NFL Draft featured Michael Wilson coming off a decent but unspectacular rookie season and veterans Greg Dortch and Chris Moore as its top three receivers. Basically, it's easy to understand why Arizona went with Harrison, who had starred at Ohio State and was expected to be a star in the NFL right away.
But it's not like the Cardinals were loaded at edge rusher, either, and Verse has proved to be the best at that position — and arguably at any non-quarterback position - in the class. Since entering the league, Verse has the NFL's second-most quarterback hurries, third-most pressures and sixth-highest pressure rate. He's a star."
The Browns landed a young star who's only scratching the surface
Verse is only two seasons into his pro career, but he should be one of the best Browns defenders for the foreseeable future. He’s one of the game’s top young edge rushers and regularly makes plays off the edge in the run game.
Verse had 58 tackles and 7.5 sacks last season for the Rams, and has amassed 11 tackles for loss in each of his first two seasons. Last season's numbers were a really nice follow-up from being named the NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year in 2024.
Verse is still developing with his pass-rush moves, but his combination of power and quickness regularly leads to him generating pressures and wreaking havoc. He has violent hands on the edge to move blockers back, and even at 6-foot-4 and 260 pounds, his game speed pops, resulting in impact plays.
As Pereles noted, Verse has been one of the top pressure players in the league, and that should carry forward with the Browns. Last year, he ranked 11th out of 115 qualified edge defenders in overall grade and his 38 solo tackles were fourth, both according to Pro Football Focus.
Now, Verse is not going to be Garrett. That inherently is going to be part of the conversation with him for the rest of his time with Cleveland. But it’s not going to be a slight for Verse’s production.
The Garrett trade discourse aside, it’s clear that the Browns have a keeper in Verse and it was great by Andrew Berry and company to bring in a young edge player of Verse’s caliber as part of the return.
One can anticipate Verse to reach another level this coming season. Further, as the 25-year-old Verse becomes more and more well-rounded as a rusher, his pass-rushing splits should only improve.
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