Dawgs By Nature
Sunday’s loss to the Cincinnati Bengals stung – it had all the makings of a classic Cleveland Browns loss, the kind that we’ve seen many times before. Still, despite the tough result in this matchup, several Browns rookies showed real promise. Let’s take a closer look at three Cleveland newcomers who made a strong impression against the Bengals. The rookie class as a whole was good, but these three stood out. How would you rank them?
Running back Dylan Sampson made an immediate impact for the Browns in his debut. Despite his struggles in the run game with 12 carries for just 29 yards, he absolutely dominated as a pass catcher, bringing in all eight of his targets for 64 yards. Even with Quinshon Judkins likely returning soon, it’s clear he will continue to have a valuable role in Cleveland’s offense.
Carson Schwesinger has already earned a high level of trust and respect from his fellow players and coaches and has been given the responsibility of wearing the green dot. This is an impressive feat for a rookie, demonstrating his dedication to the team and his role within the defense. He racked up a total of eight tackles and one tackle for loss on Sunday and was flying around the field all day. Early signs show the rookie linebacker could be a foundational piece for this defense moving forward.
The third round pick, Harold Fannin Jr., wasted no time getting involved in the Browns’ offense. He was a favorite of Joe Flacco and was targeted 9 times in the game – the most of any tight end on the roster. His great route running allowed him to bring in 7 catches for 63 yards. It was a really promising showing from the Bowling Green rookie.
Let me know what you think in the comments – Which Browns rookie impressed you the most on Sunday? How would you rank them in terms of impressing you?
