Former Trojan quarterback Cody Kessler will make his first NFL start with the Browns this weekend

Former USC quarterback Cody Kessler will become the Cleveland Browns’ third starter in as many games this season. Coach Hue Jackson announced the team will be going with its third-round pick from earlier this year this week against the Miami Dolphins.

First there was Robert Griffin III, a big-name acquisition during the off-season who broke a bone in his left shoulder in the season-opening loss to the Philadelphia Eagles.

Then came veteran journeyman Josh McCown, who will miss at least one game after injuring his shoulder in a loss to the Baltimore Ravens on Sunday.

So now it’s the rookie’s turn. A three-year starter at USC, Kessler led the Trojans to a 27-14 record while completing 67.5% of his passes for 10,339 yards with 88 touchdowns and 19 interceptions.

He struggled during training camp and preseason with the Vikings

“We’ll find out a lot about him this weekend,” Jackson said Monday.

McCown played the entire game against the Ravens, but Kessler said afterward he would have been ready to go in if called upon.

“It’s a physical game and you always have to be ready,” he said. “It’s kind of a next-man-up mentality and I prepared as hard as I could all week. I didn’t have any nervousness or anxiousness, I was ready to go.

“Just because of my prep all week and learning from Josh and listening to what he did, watching the reps he did and getting more reps in practice. I felt ready to go. If that did happen, I had the mind set of going in as the starter.”

charles.schilken@latimes.com

Twitter: @chewkiii