At different stations set up in the fieldhouse at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus, about 300 high school athletes participated in combine-style testing and position-specific drills in the Browns 2025 High School Showcase.
Held in association with Gatorade and University Hospitals, the Browns hosted the annual event to provide opportunities for high school sophomores and juniors aiming to continue their football careers at the collegiate level.
Those 300 high school athletes traveled from over 100 schools across Ohio, Pennsylvania and Michigan to attend the event. Athletes were broken up into two sessions, which featured combine-style testing and position-specific drills, allowing participants to demonstrate their skills in passing, route running, lineman work, agility drills and more in front of scouts and collegiate coaches.
Browns cornerbacks coach Brandon Lynch set the tone for the day, kicking off the first session by sharing words of encouragement. In his role, Lynch viewed the showcase as an opportunity to support and pour wisdom into the athletes.
"Any time that we can have the opportunity to help develop and move our game forward, that's extremely important," Lynch said. "And being a teacher – and a parent myself – it's important to see guys with correct fundamentals, with correct techniques. And then something that's really big for us is moving the game forward in competition and toughness. This is the best way to help develop that."
Following his remarks, athletes proceeded through a structured warm-up led by members of T3 Performance. Then they transitioned into combine-style drills, including the 40-yard dash, shuttle run, broad jump, vertical jump and bench press.
The athletes later moved on to position-specific drills tailored to their respective roles on the field, highlighting their skills in areas such as passing mechanics, route running and linemen techniques. Group drills followed, allowing players to demonstrate teamwork, communication and competitive spirit in simulated game scenarios.
The first session concluded with the announcement of five MVPs, each recognized for their performances and effort throughout the drills.
"It means a lot to me and my hard work is paying off," Tripp Phoenix from Carey High School said after being named an MVP of the showcase. "I knew there would be a lot of competition here and I love competition, so I wanted to show my best work."