2025 NFL Draft Scouting Report: UCLA LB Carson Schwesinger

The 2025 NFL Draft is right around the corner, and we've got you covered with in-depth scouting reports on all of the top prospects at every position in this year's class.

Here's everything you need to know about UCLA linebacker Carson Schwesinger heading into the 2025 draft:

Vitals

Height: 6-2

Weight: 242

Age: 22

Strengths

Range, instincts and athleticism are all over the tape when you watch Schwesinger play. A lean, mean, playmaking machine for the Bruins in 2024, Schwesinger put up big numbers thanks to a versatile skill set that allows him to come flying downhill and blow up run plays, as well as be comfortable in space as a coverage defender and when chasing plays from sideline to sideline. His short-area movement skills are impressive, with little wasted movement when changing direction, and he plays with a fiery mean streak from snap to whistle. Schwesinger is quick to identify his keys in the run game and get after the ball, and he’s quick to identify incoming routes and shut down passing lanes.

Weaknesses

Though he weighed in at 242 pounds at the NFL Scouting Combine, Schwesinger was listed at just 225 pounds at UCLA. His lack of beef at that original weight showed up on tape when he was reached at the second level by offensive linemen, as he struggled to stack and shed bigger blockers in order to make a play on the ball-carrier. His aggressiveness as a run defender can backfire, as he can get caught flying in the wrong direction against cutback plays or when faced with play-action passes. 

Updated 2025 NFL Draft Rankings By Position

QB | RB | WR | TE | OT | Interior OL | EDGE | Interior DL | LB | CB | S

Final Analysis

A former walk-on, Schwesinger has flown up the draft board thanks to an impressive 2024 campaign, and he’s clearly got an intriguing physical and mental skill set that should allow him to find success at the next level. He added some much-needed bulk this offseason, but he'll have to prove he can retain his athleticism and movement skills at that size. At his previous weight, Schwesinger looked like the ideal sub-package linebacker for nickel situations and 4-3 teams looking for a weakside backer. He still has a ton of room to grow either way, which gives him plenty of upside.

Current Projection: 3rd Round