The Cleveland Browns may not have pulled out a victory on Sunday against the Cincinnati Bengals, but several of their rookies made an impression in their NFL debuts.
Tight end Harold Fannin Jr. finished with seven receptions, which tied fellow tight end Tyler Warren of the Indianapolis Colts for the most Week 1 receptions by a rookie tight end in NFL history.
Running back Dylan Sampson had 93 yards of total offense, which included a game-high eight receptions, tying Tarik Cohen, who spent four seasons
with the Chicago Bears, as the most Week 1 receptions by a rookie running back since 1990.
Fannin and Sampson were not the only rookies on the field for the Browns, as defensive tackle Mason Graham and linebacker Carson Schwesinger, the team’s top two selections from the 2025 NFL Draft, also made their debuts.
Graham played 42 snaps, second only to defensive end Myles Garrett on the defensive line, and finished with three tackles. Schwesinger was on the field for a team-high 52 snaps, finishing with eight tackles, a quarterback hit, and a tackle for loss.
For their efforts, Graham and Schwesinger were both selected by Pro Football Focus for their Week 1 Rookie Team of the Week:
The Browns made a controversial decision in the 2025 Draft by passing up on Travis Hunter to trade down and select Michigan’s Mason Graham with the fifth overall pick. Graham paid immediate benefits, earning a starting job right out of the gate while putting up a solid 67.3 PFF run-defense grade.
As the first pick of the second round, Carson Schwesinger immediately established himself in the heart of the Browns’ defense, playing nearly every defensive snap while generating a grade of at least 70.0 in run defense (70.9), as a pass rusher (76.0), and in coverage (83.8).
It was a solid first game for Cleveland’s rookie class, which will face a step up in class this week as the Browns face the Baltimore Ravens.
And if they can continue to build off their Week 1 performance, Cleveland’s rookies may take a permanent place on PFF’s weekly rookie team.
