The Cleveland Browns were headed nowhere fast during the 2025 regular season, but they still had a pair of lightning-rod players who kept fans engaged until the bitter end. Myles Garrett’s quest to become the NFL’s single-season sack king went from virtual lock to anything but over the final couple of weeks. Meanwhile, every snap of Shedeur Sanders’ seven rookie starts was must-see TV.
But while others might've stolen the national attention, Cleveland’s opponents and other players around the league saw what Browns fans had been marveling at since September.
Carson Schwesinger may not have been a household name when he entered the NFL last year as a second-round draft pick, but that already appears to be changing.
The NFL continued to roll out its list of the Top 100 Players of 2026, which was voted on by the players themselves. Schwesinger, the reigning AP Defensive Rookie of the Year, came in at No. 93.
Big show of respect from Carson Schwesinger’s peers after his DROY season https://t.co/evVqA3dk8T
— Daniel Oyefusi (@DanielOyefusi) June 25, 2026
Grant Gordon of NFL.com summed up Schwesinger’s debut season in one word: “sensational.”
“Schwesinger was the leading tackler for an excellent Cleveland defense that ranked fourth in yards allowed. With Myles Garrett traded to the Rams, Schwesinger and pass rusher Jared Verse will now be looked on to lead the Browns for years to come. The UCLA product is off to a phenomenal start so far.”
Carson Schwesinger is just the latest sign the Browns' young core is arriving
The NFL makes a big deal out of this survey each summer, and Cleveland hasn’t had many players make the cut in recent years. Schwesinger just joined Myles Garrett, Jerry Jeudy, Amari Cooper, Nick Chubb, and Z’Darius Smith as the lone Browns to earn a Top-100 distinction since 2023.
Schwesinger’s inclusion this year was far from a given, but it couldn’t be more deserved. There aren’t many inside linebackers in the game who get to the ball and end a play like Cleveland’s 23-year-old budding star.
He led all rookie defenders with 57 run stops in 2025, per Pro Football Focus. His other incredible stats — 156 total tackles, 11 tackles for loss, 2.5 sacks, nine QB hits, two interceptions — are even more staggering when you consider that he was hobbled by quad and ankle injuries in the closing weeks of the season. He basically finished Cleveland’s Week 17 win over the Steelers on one leg, and he wound up missing the season finale.
There’s no denying that the Browns found rare talent with the No. 33 overall pick in the 2025 NFL Draft. But it’s the validation from Schwesinger’s peers that should be resonating most with fans entering what will be a highly anticipated encore in Year 2.
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