Cleveland Browns star defensive player Carson Schwesinger has landed in the ESPN Top-100 Player Rankings.
The Cleveland Browns will be entering the 2026 season without the services of star pass rusher Myles Garrett for the first time since 2017.
Garrett was the leader of this Browns defensive unit over the years, showing pure dominance on the field. But Cleveland's brass made a decision to trade him to the Los Angeles Rams this offseason, opening a new era of Browns football.
Even without Garrett, the Browns defense could still be pretty good, with the team having a few quality players. One of them is Carson Schwesinger, who is entering his second season with the organization.
Schwesinger fully broke out last season for Cleveland, winning the Defensive Rookie of the Year award. For the year, Schwesinger recorded an astonishing 156 total tackles, while grabbing two interceptions, 2.5 sacks, and three pass deflections.
His 2025 season was special, and it has earned him a spot in the preseason Top-100 Player Ranking from ESPN. Schwesinger comes into his second season ranked in the No. 85 spot, which is very high praise for him.
With Garrett now gone, the Browns are looking to players like Schwesinger to step up and fill the void. Schwesinger did very well in year one, but now the rest of the NFL has more tape on him, so he won't come as a surprise anymore.
NFL analyst Daniel Oyefusi of ESPN detailed how Schwesinger plans to take his game to the next level in his second season.
"New defensive coordinator Mike Rutenberg replaces Jim Schwartz, but the foundation of Cleveland's attacking front remains intact. Schwesinger also connected with his childhood idol, Hall of Famer Luke Kuechly, this offseason in hopes of taking his game to another level," Oyefusi wrote.
If Schwesinger can sustain his production, the Browns defense could be very good once again. Schwesinger has all the tools to be successful in the NFL, and he proved himself fully during his rookie season.
Schwesinger wasn't the only player from the Browns to make the Top-100 list, as Jared Verse has made the cut. Verse came in ranked at No. 69 after coming over to Cleveland in the Garrett trade.
The Browns will look to surprise some people in the AFC this year with first-year head coach Todd Monken taking over. But it won't be easy for this group, especially playing in the loaded AFC North alongside the Baltimore Ravens, Cincinnati Bengals, and Pittsburgh Steelers.
