Rookie linebacker Carson Schwesinger making eye-opening plays in camp

Carson Schwesinger keeps turning heads. Through seven training camp practices, the rookie linebacker's list of accomplishments includes dropping running back Dylan Sampson in a line of scrimmage collision, breaking up passes and starring in a special teams drill. "I'm thoroughly impressed with Carson the way he's just come in here and really been about his business," safety Grant Delpit said. "He's not the loudest in the room, but he's very direct." Delpit had to get in line to compliment Schwesinger, the No. 33 pick out of UCLA. Owner Jimmy Haslam, coach Kevin Stefanski and Pro Bowl cornerback Denzel Ward were also among those to mention Schwesinger, often without prompting. "I wouldn't even say he's a young guy," linebacker Jerome Baker said. "He's one of those guys that he comes in, he's a professional. He does things the right way. He takes his time. He understands it. "He's going to have a long, successful career. I'm teaching how just to be a pro in any way I can help him. But I'll just say this, he's more far along than a lot of rookies, so he's definitely good." The Browns drafted Schwesinger (6-foot-2½, 242 pounds) at the top of the second round to help fill the void with Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah out for the season with a neck injury sustained in October. Schwesinger has similar playmaking and coverage skills, with two interceptions and three passes defensed in his final college season to go with four sacks. Schwesinger's role, and the need for him to contribute immediately, grew significantly when Jordan Hicks unexpectedly retired at the start of camp. "I think it just creates a lot of opportunity for the whole room, and room for guys to step up, whether on the field, in leadership roles, all those ways," Schwesinger said Wednesday. "I think we've got a great room to be able to do that." He's a candidate to start at middle linebacker and has been wearing the green dot on the back of his helmet as the signal caller with the speaker that lets him hear the coach. "I just want to be prepared and ready to be able to do whatever they want me to do and if that's what they're asking me to do, I got to be able to go out there and make sure that all the communication's good and we're able to run the defense how we want to run it," he said. "Every day I come out here, I feel more comfortable. I think the big part of it is getting reps on the field, and also in the film room, watching things I can correct and then also watching the offense and seeing certain tendencies you're going to get that are different from college now." Handing the important responsibility of signal calling to a rookie is rare. "I think Carson's uniquely situated. If we need him to do that, he's capable of doing that," Stefanski said. "He's a cerebral kid, but it is football, so the physical aspect of it is not too far from the evaluation, either." Schwesinger's strength and aggression were most obvious when he met Sampson in the hole and knocked him to the ground. While Sampson and the offensive coaches said he needs to keep his pads lower for better leverage, the defense celebrated. "Defense, you always love big hits," Schwesinger said. "So you always look forward to seeing those on any film. So that was a fun one." Coordinator Jim Schwartz might have worn out the rewind button with the highlight. His system is built on attacking from all three levels. Schwesinger said no matter what the scheme a linebacker has to "run, hit and find the ball." But his biggest growth since being drafted has come mentally. "I've grown in just understanding our defense, understanding the offense and what offenses in the NFL like to do," he said. "And then also just as a person, too, I think coming out here and being in a new area has helped me grow." Safeties coach Ephraim Banda was happy to get a question about Schwesinger, who played safety in high school in California. "Well, you see the big smile on my face," he said. "One, the young man's got a great feel for the game, pass and run. It's fun to watch him see it and get to pass drops. "But you can feel when he's in the game. From a safety structure, you can feel when he is in the game. He does such a good job on his drops and understanding and seeing it. He's an awesome young player who's busting his butt, proving his toughness every day." The journey to second-round pick started as a walk-on with the Bruins. After playing mostly on special teams for two years, Schwesinger was an All-American in his only season as a starter, leading FBS with 90 solo tackles. The chip on his shoulder is real. "It's been with me since I've been — I mean, I can't remember a time where I haven't wanted to go out there and try and be the best I can when I'm on the field," he said. "And so I think it's just keeping that same mentality, making sure that whatever's happening, it's my goal to try and be the hardest worker I could possibly do." As the positive reviews come flooding in, he doesn't feel like he's arrived. "No. I think every day I'm trying to get better than the day before," he said. The post Rookie linebacker Carson Schwesinger making eye-opening plays in camp first appeared on BrownsZone with Scott Petrak.