Cleveland Browns Rookie Forecast 2025

Browns Rookie Forecast 2025

Solid Starter

Carson Schwesinger, LB, UCLA – Round 2

The Browns made upgrading their defense the priority with their first two picks in the 2025 NFL Draft. After adding an interior defensive lineman, Cleveland added an interior linebacker in Schwesinger to man the middle of their defense. Other teams picking late in the first round really liked Schwesinger, and he has plug-and-play starter potential.

The 6-foot-2, 242-pound Schwesginer was a one-year wonder in college, but he had a tremendous 2024 season for the Bruins. Schwesginer totaled 136 tackles with four sacks, two interceptions, one forced fumble, and three passes broken up. Schwesinger is a dangerous blitzer for the NFL, and he is very decisive about when he commits to coming downfield. That makes him dangerous on blitzes, as well as defending perimeter runs. He has a serious burst to eat up ground and can be a hard charger who dodges blockers while flying to the quarterback. With good straight-line speed, Schwesinger eats up ground in a hurry, and he is very dangerous on delayed blitzes. Schwesinger will trick the line that he is staying in coverage and then find an opening before exploding onto the quarterback.

In pass coverage, Schwesinger is able to contribute as well. Schwesinger can move around the field in space in zone coverage picking up receivers and covering up receiving options, he has shown nice read-and-react skills with the ability to eat up ground. Schwesinger will need some coaching on technique if his system requires him to play some man coverage on tight ends or backs. He has some struggles in man coverage to prevent separation.

In the ground game, Schwesinger is a good pursuit linebacker who uses his sideline-to-sideline speed to chase down backs. With good instincts, Schwesinger is always around the ball and puts himself in position to make a lot of plays. He has a nice burst and attacks downhill. However, for the NFL, Schwesinger is a linebacker who needs some development. He has a lean upper and lower body, so getting stronger is a necessity. Schwesinger struggles to take on and lacks some stopping power. Schwesinger can get bounced around by offensive linemen, and he will need to work on taking on and shedding blocks from pro offensive linemen.

The Browns could be starting Schwesinger in Week 1 of the 2025 season next to Jordan Hicks. Schwesinger will have to beat out veterans Jerome Baker and Devin Bush, and even if he doesn’t beat them out right away, it shouldn’t be long before Schwesinger turns into a solid starter in Cleveland.

2024: Michael Hall Jr., DT
2023: Cedric Tillman, WR
2022: Martin Emerson, CB
2021: Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah, LB
2020: Jordan Elliott, DT
2019: Mack Wilson, LB
2018: Denzel Ward, CB
2017: David Njoku, TE
2016: Carl Nassib, DE
2015: Danny Shelton, DT
2014: Justin Gilbert, CB
2013: Leon McFadden, CB

Most Likely To Bust

Mason Graham, DT, Michigan – Round 1

The Browns declined to take Travis Hunter or Abdul Carter in a trade down with Jacksonville that landed Cleveland the Jaguars’ first-round pick in the 2026 NFL Draft and a high second-rounder. It was a superb trade for the Browns to turn one top prospect into multiple early-round talent additions to their roster. While I think the Browns fleeced Jacksonville, I think the Browns made a risky pick at 5th overall with Graham. While Graham was a good player in college, some other teams had him rated lower as a prospect. Graham has a terrible body, and sources at other teams said he looks like the Marshmallow Man. They said that part of Graham’s having a terrible body was because he did not have a good work ethic. He was not a hard worker in training or in the weight room. All of these concerns were validated at the rookie mini-camp when Graham was struggling to practice, looked slow, out of shape, and was vomiting on the field from his lack of good conditioning. These issues could be exploited by NFL guards, and Graham is going to discover a work ethic and improve his body in order to be successful as a pro. Of the Browns’ early-round picks, Graham looks like the one with the most bust potential.

2024: Zak Zinter, G
2023: None
2022: David Bell, WR
2021: Anthony Schwartz, WR
2020: Grant Delpit, S
2019: Sione Takitaki, LB
2018: Antonio Callaway, WR
2017: Jabrill Peppers, S
2016: Corey Coleman, WR
2015: Xavier Cooper, DT
2014: Christian Kirksey, LB
2013: Barkevious Mingo, LB

Potential Boom Pick

Quinshon Judkins, RB, Ohio State – Round 2

The Browns enjoyed many quality seasons from Nick Chubb, but Cleveland felt it was time to get younger and cheaper at the running back position. Fortunately for them, the 2025 NFL Draft was loaded at the running back position. In other years, Judkins would have been the top back in the draft but he ended up being third rated as there were a pair of other excellent backs in Ashton Jeanty and Qmarion Hampton. Thus, Judkins could be a steal for Cleveland.

For the NFL, Judkins is a special back as he is big, fast, and explosive. Judkins has a serious burst to hit the hole and accelerate to the second level. With his strong build, Judkins runs through tacklers and is capable of ripping off lots of yards after the first defender hits him. He has easy speed to explode into the secondary and is a threat to produce a chunk run on any carry. To go along with his size, Judkins has nice knee bend to run behind his pads along with contact balance. He can be a devastating one-cut, downhill runner as Judkins has good instincts and feel for how to attack a defense.

As a runner, Judkins is a tighter athlete, so he is not super elusive. Against NFL defenders, he will not be juking them left and right or zig-zagging through a defense. Judkins will use his explosive speed and power with yards after contact to be an effective starter.

Judkins was a solid outlet receiver in college football and he should be in the NFL. He is too tight to line up as a slot receiver like Christian McCaffrey or Jahmyr Gibbs, but Judkins could be dangerous on screens and passes to the flat. At Ole Miss, Judkins was not asked to pass protect very much, but he showed a huge jump in ability at Ohio State. Under offensive coordinator Chip Kelly, Judkins was a good blocker and did not get beaten when called on to protect Will Howard. Judkins has the upside and ability to turn into a good blocker at the pro level.

Judkins is one of the more talented players in the 2025 NFL Draft. If teams were drafting purely on best football player and skill set, Judkins would have been a first-round pick. However, because teams downgrade drafting running backs early in the draft, and that worked out to the Browns benefit. I think Judkins could be a real boom pick for Cleveland.

2024: None
2023: None
2022: None
2021: Greg Newsome, CB
2020: Jedrick Wills, OT
2019: Greedy Williams, CB
2018: Nick Chubb, RB
2017: Myles Garrett, DE
2016: Emmanuel Ogbah, DE
2015: Cam Erving, C
2014: Johnny Manziel, QB
2013: Jamoris Slaughter, S

Future Depth Player

Harold Fannin Jr., TE, Bowling Green – Round 3

In 2024, Fannin was one of the most productive tight ends in college football, totaling 117 receptions for 1,555 yards and 10 touchdowns. Fannin has the potential to be a mismatch receiving tight end with quickness, athleticism, and feel. Fannin is smooth as a route runner, and linebackers can struggle to run with him. He tracks the ball well downfield and shows late hands to make the catch even when defenders are close. With his quickness and athleticism, Fannin is dangerous to rip off more yardage after the catch with the ball in his hands. Fannin shows toughness as a runner, as he won’t go down without a fight and has some elusiveness to juke by defenders. Fannin has strong hands to snatch the ball out of the air and presents a good target for his quarterback. Fannin has some natural receiving ability, and he could be a good contributor to an NFL passing attack.

As a blocker, Fannin did not impress in college. He is going to need development as a blocker, and I think his blocking limitations could make Fannin a No. 2 tight end throughout his career. While he needs to be coached up, Fannin also has size limitations that nothing can be done about.

With David Njoku in place as the starter, Fannin could be a nice No. 2 tight end in Cleveland. He could be a good F tight end capable of contributing to the passing attack. While Fannin may never be a three-down starter, he could be a solid rotational player.

2024: Jamari Thrash, WR
2023: Siaki Ika, DT
2022: Perrion Winfrey, DT
2021: Richard LeCounte, S
2020: Jacob Phillips, LB
2019: Sheldrick Redwine, S
2018: Chad Thomas, DE
2017: Larry Ogunjobi, DT
2016: Cody Kessler, QB
2015: Duke Johnson, RB
2014: Pierre Desir, CB
2013: Garrett Gilkey, OT