The Cleveland Browns are known for keeping undrafted players on their roster.
Last year, there were several: P Corey Bojorquez, LB Mohamoud Diabate, WR Isaiah Bond, S Chris Edmonds, DT Adin Huntington, S Ronnie Hickman, DE Sam Kamara, WR Gage Larvadain, OT Cornelius Lucas, LB Easton Mascarenas-Arnold, S Donovan McMillan, RB Rocket Sanders, K Andre Szmyt, and TE Blake Whiteheart.
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Going forward, there is a player who is focused on the team, adding one more name to that
roster of the undrafted and unloved: Reid Carrico.
Carrico (6’-2”, 226 pounds) is a linebacker who went to Ohio State before transferring to West Virginia.
He is an Ohio kid, having grown up in Ironton, which is situated along the Ohio River overlooking the Kentucky border. Carrico went to Ironton High School, where he played basketball, baseball, and lined up at running back and linebacker in football, going both ways.
In his senior year, his high school team reached the Division V state championship game but lost to 15-0-0 Kirtland 17-7. Carrico was named First Team All-District, First Team All-Conference, and named “Ohio Defensive Player of the Year” by the Ohio Prep Sportswriters.
As a senior, Carrico became the first player in Ohio football history to be named the Ohio Prep Sportswriters “Southeast District Offensive Player of the Year” and the “Southeast District Defensive Player of the Year” in the same season.
At the conclusion of his high school career, he had rushed for more than 3,000 yards with 48 touchdowns, was ranked a four-star recruit, was rated the #4 player in the State of Ohio regardless of position, and ranked the #5 linebacker in the nation in the class of 2019.
Of course, he had his choice of programs to go to: Clemson, Florida, Ohio State, LSU, Florida State, Michigan, Penn State, Texas, Alabama, Oklahoma, Tennessee, Arkansas, Notre Dame, Boston College, Virginia Tech, Indiana, and Michigan State. He chose Ohio State.
Carrico has a brother, Garrett, and is the son of Shelley and the late Gary Carrico, who passed away two years ago. Carrico’s great uncle, Earl Webb of the Boston Red Sox, holds the Major League Baseball record for the most doubles hit in a single season (1931), so there is lineage there.
Gary Carrico was a lifelong Browns fan.
As with most freshmen, Carrico redshirted. In his freshman season, he played in eight games and was named Academic All-Big Ten Conference. In his sophomore campaign, he played in 10 games, mainly on special teams with kick coverage squads. Again, he was named Academic All-Big Ten Conference. He played one more year at Ohio State, but wasn’t being utilized.
Carrico then entered the transfer portal. Coming out of high school, he had his choice of schools. But since he rarely played on defense while at Ohio State, his options shrank quite a bit. He chose West Virginia.
In his first year at West Virginia, he played on 418 plays, including 279 on defense with the remainder on special teams. He ended up their defense’s fifth-leading tackler and won the WVU Juice Award for hustle.
He played in all 12 games as a senior, but started just two contests. He finished with 69 total tackles, 8 tackles for loss, 4.5 sacks, 1 batted pass, and 1 fumble recovery. Carrico was named the defensive team captain in both starts. He earned Honorable Mention All-Big 12 and First Team Academic All-Big 12 honors.
As the 2026 NFL draft approached, Carrico’s scouting report on Sports Illustrated:
“Tall with broad shoulders and some length in arms. Tight torso and waist with athletic lower half. Has room to carve and chisel his body. Displays good change of direction to weave and squeeze A-gap and B-gap runs. Very good range from the second level to reach box edges and perimeter with ease. Beats blockers laterally and can easily cross faces. Has the balance to get over trash. Excellent speed and closing quickness. Arrives with forceful intent and thumps at collision points on ball-carriers. Solid ability to read cross keys to mesh points through traffic. Needs to continue improving hand usage at the point of take-on and shed phase versus blockers.”
The draft came and went, and Carrico didn’t hear his name called. After the draft, his agent was contacted to see if Carrico would be interested in a tryout with the Browns during the rookie minicamp. He accepted.
Carrico told the Ironton Tribune:
“I couldn’t be happier. That’s where I wanted to go. (The Browns) were the first team that talked to me. As soon as the draft was over, my agent called and asked if I wanted to sign with the Browns. They were the first team to contact me. My dad (Gary) was a Browns fan. I told him you bet I want to be a Brown. I can’t wait. I am so excited.”
Out of the 25 “tryout players” Cleveland had at its rookie minicamp, Carrico and WR Aaron Anderson were the only ones signed to training camp contracts.
Carrico’s base salary progresses annually over the life of the contract:
- 2026: $885,000
- 2027: $1,005,000
- 2028: $1,165,000
A look at the depth chart, the Browns’ linebacker room is pretty full.
SLB: Quincy Williams, backup Justin Jefferson
MLB: Carson Schwesinger, backups Bookie Watson, Edefuan Ulofoshio
WLB: Winston Reid, backups Easton Mascarenas-Arnold, Reid Carrico
Diabate is no longer on the roster, while JOK is out for the year once again. Typically, most NFL defenses keep six linebackers.
Now, it’s all up to Carrico:
“I’m thinking I’ve done it the right way. I took the bruises, and I took the lumps. I knew I was going to get the opportunity, but I didn’t know where. Now, I just have to keep working hard. It’s a great opportunity. I told my agent that if I can be anywhere in the AFC North, (Cleveland) is where I want to be.”
His X handle is @CarricoReid while his Instagram is @reid.carrico.
