Browns Rookies Who Will Make Instant Impact in 2023 Season
The Cleveland Browns haven't had a player win a Rookie of the Year Award (on either side of the ball) since linebacker Chip Banks claimed the defensive title in 1982.
And that drought seems unlikely to end in 2023, as the Browns didn't select any players over the first two rounds of this year's NFL draft.
That's not to say Cleveland's rookie class won't make an impact, though. The team added seven players over the final five rounds, and some of them could quickly become key contributors during the upcoming season.
The Browns needed to upgrade several areas of their roster via the draft, and they appeared to be successful in doing so. They brought in four players on offense and three on defense.
Here's a look at the incoming rookies who are most likely to make an instant impact for Cleveland in the 2023 season.
Siaki Ika, DT
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After the Browns selected Siaki Ika with the No. 98 overall pick in the third round, defensive coordinator Jim Schwartz told the former Baylor defensive tackle he should play like a Ferrari.
General manager Andrew Berry expanded on what that meant, per Anthony Poisal of the team's official site.
"He just has to get up the field and disrupt, get off the ball, as opposed to just build a stone wall and hold up the offensive line," he said.
The sooner the 22-year-old can do that, the quicker he'll likely impact Cleveland's defensive front, which needed to get much stronger on the interior heading into the offseason.
At 6'3" and 335 pounds, the Baylor product has the size and athleticism necessary to become a force at one of those spots.
Ika, who recorded 3.5 sacks as a junior with the Bears in 2021, may not be an immediate starter for Cleveland. But he could quickly be factored into the DT rotation, giving him an opportunity to earn more playing time early in the season.
Isaiah McGuire, DE
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Another rookie who could make an early impact on Cleveland's defensive line is Isaiah McGuire, who was selected with the No. 126 overall pick in the fourth round.
Cleveland recently worked out a deal with the Minnesota Vikings to acquire Za'Darius Smith, so he'll likely start opposite Myles Garrett and block McGuire on the depth chart. But it could be beneficial for the 21-year-old to have another veteran around.
"I'm excited to learn from those people, pick their brains and just improve overall," the edge-rusher told reporters.
McGuire won't start early in 2023 (or potentially at all during his rookie season), but edge-rushers frequently get rotated in and out of games. Because of that, he could have some success after recording 14.5 sacks in 25 games over his final two seasons with Missouri.
Cedric Tillman, WR
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Amari Cooper will be the Browns' No. 1 receiver, but the team will need to sort out its depth chart behind him.
Cleveland has Elijah Moore (acquired in a trade with the New York Jets this offseason), free-agent signing Marquise Goodwin and returning players such as Donovan People-Jones, David Bell and others.
Then, there's also Cedric Tillman, who was the first player selected by the Browns in the draft at No. 73 in the third round. He will bring experience (five seasons with Tennessee) and size (6'3", 215 pounds) to a receiving corps that needs playmakers to step up alongside Cooper.
Tillman could quickly become a top target for quarterback Deshaun Watson. The opportunities should be there for the 23-year-old to carve out a role, and he has the potential to especially thrive when the Browns get the ball into the red zone.
Receivers such as Moore and Peoples-Jones may have the inside track to starting spots heading into the season, but don't be surprised if Tillman sees plenty of time on the field early in his rookie year. And the better he performs, the more that could increase.
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