Former UCLA Bruins linebacker Carson Schwesinger’s performance may have been overshadowed by Cleveland Browns teammate Shedeur Sanders, but Schwesinger was one of the best rookies to take the field on Friday, not just in the Browns-Panthers games but in the whole NFL.
Schwesinger generated the second-highest PFF rankings out of all rookies in action on Friday, with the second round pick posting a score of 91.4, just 0.4 less than Panthers edge rusher Nic Scourton. Schwesinger made six tackles in the first half of Cleveland’s preseason opener, with four of those being solo tackles while displaying the motor and instinct that had the Browns select the UCLA product with the first pick of the second round in this year’s draft.
Rounding out the top five grades from rookies on Friday was Cleveland wideout Luke Floriea, Patriots’ tackle WIll Campbell and Lions’ wide receiver Jackson Meeks.
Schwesinger figures to step into a starting role with the Browns, joining a fellow rookie from the Big Ten, in Mason Graham, to help rebuild the middle of the Browns’ defense. It took Schwesinger no time at all to find his footing at the NFL level, with Cleveland sports writer Mike Woellert highlighting Schwesinger’s ability to read the offense in his first ever NFL snap.
While it is just the preseason, it’s a very impressive first step for Schwesinger with the Browns and it will be interesting to see how much more preseason work Schwesinger will get ahead of their Week 1 matchup next month against the Cincinnati Bengals.
This article originally appeared on UCLA Wire: Former Bruin Carson Schwesinger among highest-rated NFL rookies in preseason Week 1
Reporting by Dylan McNeill, UCLA Wire / UCLA Wire
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
