For now, the top unit for the Cleveland Browns looks to be on defense.
Even with Cleveland no longer having Myles Garrett, the unit still has plenty of talent, and young edge defender Jared Verse will be a building block player in his own right. Players such as Mason Graham, the unheralded Maliek Collins, Carson Schwesinger, Denzel Ward, Grant Delpit, and Ronnie Hickman are expected to play key roles on that side of the ball, too.
Despite there being a positive outlook for the defense, though, teams can never have enough playmakers, and versatile prospects should always be considered in today’s NFL.
With that in mind, a player Browns fans should become familiar with in the coming college football season is Antwan Peek Jr. of the Cincinnati Bearcats. Peek was featured recently by Kristopher Knox of Bleacher Report as one of the players who can break out this coming college season ahead of the 2027 NFL Draft, and he could fit in well with Cleveland.
"Cincinnati hybrid defender Antwan Peek Jr. will be a fascinating prospect to watch over the coming season," Knox wrote. "A combination linebacker and defensive back Peek done a little bit of everything for the Bearcats in his three seasons.
This past season, Peek tallied 59 tackles, a sack, a fumble recovery, and two forced fumbles. He has recorded six forced fumbles over the last two seasons. He was a semifinalist for the Jim Thorpe Award, given to the nation's best defensive back.
At 6'1" and 220 pounds, Peek has good size for a future NFL safety, though he might be a bit small for the hybrid linebacker role. Still, his versatility should draw attention in 2026, especially if the Bearcats are relevant in the Big 12."
Browns fans should keep a close eye on Antwan Peek Jr. this season
Peek profiles as a prospect who could bring an added dimension to the Cleveland defense, if the opportunities were to arise. He has been one of the top performers in his time at Cincinnati, and last season, had 59 combined tackles, including 2.5 for loss, and as Knox emphasized, Peek has found ways to force fumbles with regularity.
Peek has shown whether he's lined up deep, at normal depth near the numbers, or tracking sideline to sideline that he can consistently finish plays. Peek has not had an interception in his career at Cincinnati, but particularly in the last two seasons with a significant role for the Bearcats, he's cleaned up plays as a reliable tackler and has been in the right spots to shrink windows.
Peek could be an added playmaker for the Browns on defense with his ability to fit in at multiple areas. It will likely take some time before Peek has a set role in the pros, in fairness, but he could be a dynamic player against plenty of matchups that can create havoc for opposing offenses. With his combination of size and athleticism, Peek could be another guy that could help generate turnovers, such as Carson Schwesinger and incoming safety Emmanuel McNeil-Warren.
Granted, there would likely be others in the fold as it pertains to potential snap counts for Peek with the Browns, and whether he'd fit into that hybrid type of role early on is another question Cleveland would have to tackle. Perhaps Peek transitions more toward a linebacker role this coming season at Cincinnati and/or down the road at the next level, too, for instance.
Regardless, Peek could have the makings of a player that could give the Browns another athlete that they could line up against several kinds of skill threats, and with his feel in space but also in run support, he could be a very productive player earlier on.
Now, one would have to see how Peek possibly does in a role closer to the line of scrimmage on a larger portion of snaps. And Peek is not a player that has rushed the passer a ton thus far in his career at Cincinnati, but he is going to do some of that this coming season.
Whether that can be the case moving forward to the NFL level is another question that remains to be answered, but Peek has expressed how his father, Antwan Peek Sr., has helped him in his development there with some change to his role. Peek Sr. is the all-time sack leader at UC, and played some in the NFL, including with the Browns, so perhaps that wisdom aids Peek Jr. in his development in that aspect.
Although to reiterate, it may take some time to iron out a role for Peek Jr. in the NFL. He’s reportedly set for a role that will be closer to the line of scrimmage this season with Cincinnati, and time will tell if that could be where he slots in at the NFL level.
The coming season should be a big one for Peek, who has been a steady performer in his time with the Bearcats, and it’d be sensible for him to be on the Browns’ radar. Whether he potentially could be a third safety with Cleveland or a long term replacement for Delpit, for example, is a storyline to maybe watch down the road. Perhaps Peek ultimately is more of a factor at linebacker, also with his dad’s connection there in mind.
Either way, Peek is an intriguing prospect who could profile as a multi-faceted defensive playmaker in today’s NFL, provided he gets opportunities.
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