DawgTalkers.net Forums DawgTalk 2025 NFL Draft Browns Draft Carson Schwesinger

Groan. The offense is putrid and they take an LB.

This also says JOK is toast.

Dude was a 0 star recruit.

Straight up garbage pick. We could have had Will Howard or Tre Henderson.

A UCLA walk on. Mmm…. not on my radar.

Carson Schwesinger NFL Draft 2025 Scouting Report for Cleveland Browns LB
BR NFL Draft Scouting Dept.
Apr 25, 2025

The Cleveland Browns selected UCLA LB Carson Schwesinger with the No. 33 overall pick in the 2025 NFL draft.
A former walk-on turned All-American, Carson Schwesinger is one of the biggest risers in the 2025 NFL Draft class. He barely saw the field defensively and didn't even begin this past season as a starter before blossoming into one of the best and most productive linebackers in the country last fall.
Schwesinger's athleticism really stands out. He has springy legs and moves vertically and laterally well to cover a lot of ground on the field. That combined with loose hips allows him to be very effective in coverage.


He can drop and takeaway post routes in Tampa 2, tighten throwing windows when playing underneath and stay in phase against running backs and tight ends in man coverage.
The UCLA product has impressive instincts against the run, especially considering how little game experience he has. Paired with his speed and athleticism, he can beat offensive linemen to the spot to get unblocked tackles. Also, he knows when to crash downhill and attack gaps, and can match running backs' paths out of the backfield.
However, Schwesinger needs to spend some time in the weight room to get bigger and stronger as a run defender. Offensive linemen who can climb up to the second level quickly will swallow him up.
He gets pushed around far too easily and ends up on the ground too much as he needs to add lower body strength to anchor. Additionally, Schwesinger must improve his upper body strength to get extension and stack and shed or develop a move to escape blocks.
Overall, the former Bruin is a year or two away from being a complete player/full-time starter, but he has the makings of being an every-down contributor in the second half of his rookie contract. Schematically, he'd be best as a WILL linebacker right now and could become more scheme-versatile if his strength improves.


MEASUREMENTS AND WORKOUT RESULTS
HEIGHT: 6'2"
WEIGHT: 242
HAND: 9¼”
ARM: 31⅝”
WINGSPAN: 77½”
VERTICAL: 39.5"
BROAD: 10'7"


POSITIVES
— Very good athlete who can cover ground vertically and horizontally in a hurry.
— Athleticism and speed allows him to tighten windows when playing zone coverage, click and close, and help take away post routes when playing Tampa 2.
— Good change of direction and fluid hips to stay in phase or recover against running backs and tight ends in man coverage.
— Good eyes in zone coverage to locate threats coming into his area, and he can read the quarterback's eyes to step into passing lanes.
— Impressive instincts as a run defender, especially for someone with little game experience, and he has the speed to beat offensive linemen to the spot.
— Speed also gives him good sideline-to-sideline range.
— Showed flashes as a pass-rusher, using his athletic ability to get pressure when blitzing.


NEGATIVES
— Limited on-field experience, he didn't play much until this year and didn't begin 2024 as a starter.
— Lacks the size and strength to hold his ground in the running game when taking on blocks from offensive linemen.
— Hasn't shown the ability to use his quickness and athleticism to slip blocks.
— Struggles to get extension and/or disengage from blocks, needs to develop a move to escape.
— Doesn't have much pop behind his pads, even when crashing downhill at full speed.


NOTES
— Not ranked in the 2021 class, per 247Sports, originally a walk-on at UCLA
— No major injuries
— 2024: First-Team All-American, First-Team All-Big Ten
GRADE: 7.4 (High-Level backup/Potential Starter — 3rd Round)
OVERALL RANK: 66
POSITION RANK: LB4
PRO COMPARISON: Deion Jones

https://bleacherreport.com/articles...2025-scouting-report-cleveland-browns-lb

I like the pick, dude is a tackling machine and all of our LBers currently on the team are slated to be free agents at the end of this season.

great, we waste the pick on a poor man's Joe Schobert

You must be an NFL executive....our LBs have lots of injury histories....one might retire due to neck injury.....JMHO, if I had couple million and had neck injury-- I'd say bye-bye.....bad tackle after neck injury-- in a chair for decades maybe......smart pick.

Dane Brugler has Carson Schwesinger as LB2 and #34 on his Big Board. Here's his scouting summary:

STRENGTHS:
● Field fast with speed to outpace blocking scheme and string out runs
● Impressive pursuit range to touch every blade of grass over the course of a game
● Outstanding play recognition to quickly key and diagnose (models game after Roquan Smith and Matt Milano)
● Bobcat of a tackler to consistently finish, even when technique isn't picture perfect
● Loose joints allow for fluid breakdowns as tackler on the move
● Has a knack for keeping himself clean in the box or when working down the line
● Alert following quarterback's eyes while matching up in man coverage versus backs/tight ends
● Understands route concepts and can spot drop in underneath zone as hook/curl defender
● Flashed better and better blitz timing as he got deeper into 2024 season
● Competitive edge and internal wiring are different
● NFL scouts rave about his effort and "walk-on" attitude
● Outstanding special teams profile (522 kickoff/punt coverage snaps, 15 tackles)
● High-volume tackle production (only Power 4 player with 130 tackles or more in 2024)

WEAKNESSES:
● Good-sized athlete and shows admirable fight but can be overwhelmed by size at the line (NFL scout: "He looks like a wide receiver.")
● Doesn't play with shock in his hands when taking on blocks
● Plays too fast at times, creating awkward tackling angles
● Could make things easier on himself by lowering his tackling strike zone
● Only one season of starting experience/production

SUMMARY: A one-year starter at UCLA, Schwesinger was the MIKE linebacker in defensive coordinator Ikaika Malloe's 3-3-5 base scheme, lining
up mostly stacked and playing on all sub-packages (58.8 defensive snaps per game). The former walk-on was a special teams ace his first three
seasons with the Bruins before emerging as an All-American in 2024 and producing an FBS-best 90 solo tackles (his 7.5 solo tackles per game are
the most in the FBS since 2020).
A player in perpetual chase mode, Schwesinger is lightning quick in his key-and-react processing and flies to the football with an innate feel for
beating blockers to the spot and navigating box traffic to stay clean. I want to see more shock and leverage in his hands when he does take on
contact, but he has a high batting average as a tackler (just 10 career starts but had double-digit tackles in nine of them). Overall, Schwesinger is
an easy player to appreciate, because he is a tractor beam to the ball, a consistent finisher as a tackler and always plays at full speed to close
on plays in a blink. He has the instincts, demeanor and cover talent to be a four-down NFL starter early in his NFL career.

I believe that Cam Ward was a 0 star recruit as well

They had to much time and overthunk it lol. Hope he works but I don't watch that much west coast football to know him.

This one was a real head scratcher all the way around. Not a huge position of need, not a guy I had even heard mentioned. I woulda preferred a WR and then Judkins

Never heard of him, and at first I couldn't find him, but I found one site, don't remember now, but pretty sire it was respected site, that had him as the #25 best overall prospect, and another as the #4 LB.

Then I found site that had all kinds of negatives.

Who knows?

Beats the hell out of me although he was rated high at his position

Actually love this player - but then other than JOK (who is a different type of LB) I have hated our LB play for so long. I wanted Patrick Queen when he came out and I have wanted to draft various top LB in a 2nd or 3rd round for a while and it's felt like we've never so much as looked at them.

My issue is that without any shadow of a doubt - if they liked this guy, Emmanwori at #33 and then Schwesinger at #36 seems so much better combo. I like Rudkins - but I think other options in round 3 or even later would be more than viable. Emmanwori is special and a position of need. The RB the Steelers took later in the draft (20+ slots later) is not much of a drop off from Rudkin - the draft is deep at RB .... Once again I hope we got it right. I mean I don't dislike Ruskin/Schwesinger picks at all - just feel like Emmanwori was more of a difference maker esecially on this roster.

Where would you play Emmanwori? He played SS in college and we already have Delpit and from what I've read he doesn't have the instincts or the quickness to play FS.

I've always liked Delphit but I think he has been very inconsistent. I'd be happy to either platoon with him or replace him. Emmanwori was listed as a FS but thrust into a SS role as freshman - so it may just be experience he needs. Dane Bruglar's take:

Impressive size/speed athlete — easy to see why he is a “Freaks List” alum
Explosive range from depth and underneath, stringing runs to the sideline with his wheels
Productive as a robber and has a knack for undercutting routes
Movement skills to match up with backs and tight ends in coverage (didn’t allow a touchdown in 2024)
Looks natural playing the football and makes quarterbacks pay for poor decisions
Playmaker with ball in his hands (returned three of four interceptions 20 yards or more for touchdowns in 2024, though one was called back by penalty)
Just as comfortable running alley as he is filling run from the box
Love his physical mentality — he’d be competing in UFC if not for football
Feel for balancing wrap-tackle technique, as well as being able to send a message
Used from variety of angles as a blitzer
Being youngest of five boys developed toughness and competitive mentality at a young age
Voted a team captain and missed just one game over three seasons in Columbia

Weaknesses
Inconsistent read anticipation as a post player
Overaggressive angles raise difficulty level of some tackle attempts (also two facemask penalties on 2024 tapes studied)
Body tightness shows when trying to redirect with shifty runners in space
Has grabby tendencies in coverage, which will make him attractive target for officials
Had some unnecessary penalties on 2024 tape (late hit versus Vanderbilt; unsportsmanlike conduct versus Kentucky)
Played on punt coverage as freshman (two tackles) but doesn’t have robust special teams experience
Missed one game as sophomore because of hamstring injury (Sept. 2023)

Anyway - we didn't get him so I need to forget and move on. I just think Emmanwori will be a stud. I like both the picks in the 2nd round in of and by themselves.

Physically, he's basically a Luke Kuechly clone. I don't see him at safety.

Think Matt Milano - like the pick.

I wasn't expecting the pick at all, but it's grown on me. Not sure what it means for JOK, despite what they say

Just a spitball.. maybe the uncertainty of JOK's injury has him a little scared and complacent. Maybe the responsibility he feels to the position is an intimidating factor. Nothing will cure that faster than some competition. Best case scenario, even more talent and depth at LB, and a chance for JOK to work himself back.

Best-worst case scenario, we learn faster that JOK is just not going to be the same player or has a very long time table, but we don't fall off a cliff in the talent dept.

That's who I was thinking about too.

With the Browns going offense with their next three picks, I've warmed up to this pick and like what I see.

I still don't feel good about JOK's future.

That might just about be okay !!

I just saw a FB post from a Browns fan site claiming he is already on thin ice with the Browns. Actually it read "could be" as one would expect. Anyone heard any stories? Yes, I know these sites are stupid at times.

I wouldn't put any stock in what Facebook sites have to say. They are usually nothing but click bait articles by people with no knowledge.

Agreed. By all accounts Carson is a good kid and Mel Kiper had him ranked about where we took him.

Thank you for the feedback guys.

I know a few posters who must post ONLY facebook sites then

Nice vid, thanks. Seems like a lot of this was on display:

“A player in perpetual chase mode, Schwesinger is lightning quick in his key-and-react processing. He flies to the football with an innate feel for beating blockers to the spot and navigating box traffic to stay clean. I want to see more shock and leverage in his hands when he does take on contact. Overall, Schwesinger is an easy player to appreciate, because he is a tractor beam to the ball, a consistent finisher as a tackler and always plays at full speed to close on plays in a blink. He has the instincts, demeanor and cover talent to be a four-down NFL starter early in his NFL career.”

~ Dane Brugler

Sounds good, and I bet Schwartz had his opinion heard about Carson