UCLA's Carson Schwesinger Primed to Make Instant Impact

Standing out among rookies in the Cleveland Browns' offseason training camp, former UCLA linebacker Carson Schwesinger is projected to make an instant impact for the Browns in his rookie season.

Gennaro Filice, deputy editor and content writer for NFL.com, listed Schwesinger as one of this 14 projected rookies to make the NFL All-Rookie Team and be a force on the defensive side of the ball.

The rookie linebacker was taken by the Browns with the 33rd overall pick in the second round of the 2025 NFL Draft after four seasons in Westwood.

"The first pick of the second round is one of the more interesting stories in this draft class," Filice wrote. "Schwesinger arrived at UCLA as a walk-on and didn’t see much action beyond special teams during his first three years with the program. This past fall, though, he entered the starting lineup in the third week of the season and never looked back, earning first-team All-America honors after leading the nation with 90 solo tackles. Rangy and instinctive with skills to defend against the run or pass, Schwesinger fits the mold of the modern off-ball linebacker. And playing behind Cleveland’s Myles Garrett-led front should keep the rookie pretty clean, allowing him to fly around the field and stuff the stat sheet."

The other rookies on the list include edges Abdul Carter and Donovan Ezeiruaku, defensive tackles Mason Graham -- Schwesinger's Cleveland teammate -- and Derrick Harmon, linebacker Demetrius Knight Jr., cornerbacks Will Johnson and Trey Amos, defensive back Jahdae Barron, and safeties Malaki Starks and Xavier Watts.

Schwesinger is already being placed in groups with promising young talent ahead of his rookie season and is primed to make Westwood proud.

After walking on at UCLA, Scwesinger spent four seasons with the Bruins cultivating his name as a fan-favorite and eventual NFL talent. In 2024 alone, he was named to an Associated Press First Team All-American, American Football Coaches Association Second Team All-American, Walter Camps Second Team All-American, Butkus Award finalist, Burlsworth Trophy semifinalist and was First Team All-Big Ten and Associated Press First Team All-Big Ten.

He finished the season with 90 solo tackles, 4.0 sacks, 8.5 tackles for loss (4.5 of which came in a single game against Minnesota), and 136 total tackles.