The 2025 NFL Draft was a critical one for the Cleveland Browns.
As a team in the midst of a pivotal transition, Cleveland selected seven players with the hope that a number of them will be able to make an immediate impact this fall. The majority of them likely will.
Let's start with No. 5 overall pick, Mason Graham, for example, who is a plug-and-play talent for the Browns and has an opportunity to wreak havoc in support of star pass rusher Myles Garrett.
With news that Pro Bowler Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah will miss the 2025 campaign, new linebacker Carson Schwesinger will have a chance to step into a starting role immediately, as well.
Third-round tight end Harold Fannin Jr. will certainly see plenty of game action in Kevin Stefanski's heavy 12-personnel offense. As an understudy to David Njoku he'll be able to absorb a wealth of knowledge pretty early on.
Most notable of the group are the two quarterbacks, of course. Colorado's Shedeur Sanders needs no introduction, while Oregon's Dillon Gabriel seems to have really won over Stefanski and the Browns brass throughout the pre-draft process.
By nature of their position, should one of the two signal callers emerge as the starter come September, they'll have the most clear path to being the Browns' most impactful rookie. It seems more likely, however, that both young QBs will have to wait for an opportunity to play during the season.
With that in mind, second-round pick Quinshon Judkins is poised to provide the biggest impact for the Browns in 2025.
Ever since Nick Chubb suffered a gruesome knee injury in Week 2 of the 2023 season, Cleveland's offense has been lacking some true star power at the running back position. Judkins is poised to provide it on day 1.
Last season, the Browns boasted one of the worst offenses in football as Kevin Stefanski tried to blend his original scheme with what best suited embattled quarterback Deshaun Watson. The results were nauseating, as the unit failed to score 20 points in a game until Week 8, after Watson suffered a season-ending Achilles tear and Jameis Winston took over under center.
After the season, there was a common theme from players about the Browns having lost their identity on offense, and that the system was built too much around one person (Watson). With Watson expected to be a non-factor for at least most of the 2025 season, Stefanski is taking the offense back to the basics.
What does that mean? Well, Stefanski's offense ranked third in total rushing yards and fifth in yards per attempt in 2020. It was fourth and second in those two categories one year later, and finished top 10 for both in 2022 (Watson's first year with the franchise).
Until recently, a strong run game has almost always been a staple of the Browns offense under Stefanski. With Judkins as a feature back, they can reclaim their ground dominance.
The uncertainty at quarterback will also make having a solid ground game even more important. For a veteran like Joe Flacco, for example, the threat of Judkins will set the 40-year-old up for success on many of the downfield play-action throws he excels at.
On the other hand, should Sanders or Gabriel eventually take the reins under center, having a reliable run game can take some pressure off of either QB and help them get comfortable executing the offense.
Running the football figures to be central to everything the Browns want to do offensively. And that's on top of the fact that, after last season, Cleveland just needs players who can extend drives and score touchdowns. Judkins will be leaned on heavily to do both of those things as a focal point on offense.
There's one rookie that hasn't come up yet and that's Dylan Sampson, who shouldn't be forgotten in any of this either. He is destined to form a new dynamic duo with Judkins in the backfield and will serve as a very nice second option.
But Judkins is the bell cow, and for that reason is primed to be the Browns most impactful rookie in 2025.
