Five Breakout Candidates for the Browns in 2025

Now three full seasons removed from the DeShaun Watson trade, the grand visions of Super Bowl trophies and reversed fortunes that once publicly danced in the minds of Browns executives have since crumbled to the tune of two losing seasons. Equally disappointing as the team’s record during this span, and perhaps one explanation for it, is the lack of meaningful production from recent draft picks and young talent. Aside from Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah, now critically injured and inactive for the entire 2025 season, the Browns have yet to see a single player drafted in the 2020s emerge as a consistently productive young star. As Cleveland looks to steady their course, they must rely upon their most recent draft classes to reverse this troubling trend. In 2025, five players drafted during the past three drafts stand out as legitimate breakout candidates:

5. Dawand Jones, LT

Nicknamed “Big Thanos” for his nearly unprecedented frame at six-foot-eight and 374 pounds, Dawand Jones has a legitimate chance to seize the Browns’ starting left tackle job in 2025, with only veteran Cornelius Lucas III, a seven-game starter for Washington last year, standing in his way. It’s a golden opportunity for Jones, a 2023 fourth-round pick, to establish himself as a young cornerstone on an aging offensive line craving a spark. Originally drafted as a right tackle out of Ohio State, Jones impressed at times in that role as a rookie, starting nine games in relief of the injured Jack Conklin before a torn MCL ended his season prematurely. His sophomore campaign, however, proved far more challenging. Transitioning to left tackle with Conklin returning to the lineup, Jones struggled mightily, earning a PFF grade of just 46.3 before another season-ending injury cut his 2024 season short after 10 games.

Though injury-prone and inconsistent to this point in his career, Jones’ occasional flashes and rare size suggest untapped potential. Entering his third season, the Browns hope to ascertain whether tapping into his upside is plausible. If Jones can sustain the rigors of a 17-game season and parlay his flashes of competence into consistent production, doubts surrounding his long-term viability would quickly dissipate. Succinctly put, 2025 is a make-or-break season for Jones. If he can capitalize, the Browns might just have their guy at left tackle.

4. Alex Wright, EDGE

A 2022 third-round pick, Alex Wright was beginning to find his footing before a torn triceps tendon abruptly ended his 2024 season just four games in. Prior to the injury, he had recorded six sacks over his previous 20 games, including five in 2023. At just south of 270 pounds, Wright brings valuable versatility to Cleveland’s defensive front, capable of lining up both on the edge and inside. This flexibility, however, has complicated his ability to settle into a defined role, strictly relegating him to a rotational piece.

Unlike others on this list, Wright lacks a clear path toward a starting job in 2025. The Browns fortified the interior of their defensive line this offseason with the additions of Maliek Collins and rookie Mason Graham, while Isaiah McGuire’s strong finish to 2024 solidified his spot opposite Myles Garrett at EDGE. As a result, consistent playing time could be hard to come by. That said, Wright has shown enough in limited snaps to suggest he can be a difference-maker if called upon. Should injuries or rotation open the door, he’s well-positioned to capitalize. Now fully healthy and entering a contract year, Wright is an under-the-radar candidate to break out under the right set of circumstances.

3. Cedric Tillman, WR

Without a first-round pick in 2023, Cedric Tillman, selected in the third round, was the Browns’ highest draft choice in a seven-man class. This status placed heightened expectations on Tillman, exacerbating the disappointment of his quiet rookie campaign. He finished 2023 with little more than 200 receiving yards and caught less than half of his targets. 2024, however, brought about modest improvement. Following the midseason trade of Amari Cooper, Tillman stepped into a larger role and began to flash starter-level potential, particularly once Jameis Winston took over at quarterback. All three of his career touchdown catches came during that stretch, including a breakout performance against Baltimore, where he tallied eight receptions for 99 yards and two scores in an upset win. Unfortunately, a concussion shortly thereafter sidelined him for the final six games of the season, limiting his overall body of work.

Still, the upside is hard to ignore. At six foot three, 215 pounds, with above-average speed for his size, Tillman boasts the physical tools of a starting NFL receiver, tools he demonstrated he can put to work during his brief run of success with Winston. With only Jerry Jeudy clearly ahead of him on the 2025 depth chart, Tillman enters the season with a strong opportunity to prove that his late-season surge was no fluke. By investing very little into a receiving room that looks, on paper, to be among the league’s worst, the Browns sent a very clear message: they believe in Cedric Tillman. Accordingly, he will be given every opportunity to prove them right. 

2. Isaiah McGuire, EDGE

To be frank, Isaiah McGuire’s breakout may already be underway. Lost in the justified pessimism of Cleveland’s 3-14 campaign last season was the rise of a legitimate running mate for Myles Garrett at EDGE. McGuire posted an impressive 83.3 PFF grade in 2024, the 11th highest grade among all NFL edge rushers, and closed the year with two sacks over the final four games. Notably, those were the only four contests in which he played more than 50% of the team’s defensive snaps. After showing promising flashes all season long, defensive coordinator Jim Schwartz rewarded McGuire with a string of starts to conclude the year. The move paid dividends, yielding tangible sack production to accompany McGuire’s sparkling advanced metrics. 

Given his reassuring finish to the year, the starting EDGE spot opposite Myles Garrett is McGuire’s job to lose entering 2025. While Cleveland’s defensive line remains one of the league’s deepest, McGuire’s clean bill of health and proven ability to pressure quarterbacks give him a clear edge over his competition. Just two years into his career, McGuire has already set an extremely high standard for himself. Taking the next step would mean evolving from a promising youngster into a bona fide breakout star in Jim Schwartz’s defense.

1. Mike Hall Jr., DT

The Browns made Mike Hall their highest-selected 2024 draftee when they used a second-round pick on the Ohio State lineman; however, his rookie campaign unraveled before it began. A five-game suspension delayed his NFL debut following a troubling offseason domestic violence incident. After finally seeing the field, he played sparingly before missing another four games due to a lingering knee injury. As a result, Hall struggled to build momentum until late in the season. He started three consecutive games to close out the year, notching the first sack of his career in Week 15 against Cincinnati before a devastating knee injury ended his rookie campaign in the season finale.

Concerns surrounding Hall’s durability and maturity remain prominent, though his potential as a disruptive pass rusher from the defensive interior is difficult to overlook. Despite appearing in only eight games and surpassing 50 percent of defensive snaps just twice, Hall recorded six quarterback hits, three tackles for loss, and one sack as a rookie. While the Browns’ defensive line is arguably the strongest unit on the roster, the team invested significant draft capital in Hall, their only true pass-rushing specialist at defensive tackle. That investment, coupled with his unique and valuable skill set, all but ensures Hall will have opportunities in 2025. A preseason standout last year who impressed coaches and reporters alike from his first rookie minicamp, Hall now appears poised to wreak havoc on Sundays in the immediate future.