Chicago Bears NFL Draft Target: Carson Schwesinger

Kirby Lee - USA Today Sports

Dustin Riese - Senior Writer - 16 hours ago

When you look at the Bears roster, especially on the defensive side, you get the feeling that this could be one of the more improved teams across the board. Not only did they expend a considerable amount of resources to address their offensive line issue in the offseason, but they also have a wealth of talent across the board on defense, which has been the team's strength.

Sure, Chicago would love to be more physical up front and find a way to get after the quarterback more, but the back seven of their defense is as deep and talented as any team out there, and that has to give fans confidence in this team.

Arguably, the deepest and most talented area on this football team comes from the linebacker core, which T.J. Edwards and Tremaine Edmunds call home. Ever since both of these guys were signed to multi-year deals, you started to see the Bears' defense take shape as they quickly turned the corner to become the defense they wanted to be.

Losing Jack Sanborn this offseason has put a massive dent in the depth side of things, as the Bears are now in the market for linebacker depth to compensate for his loss. Knowing that several strong candidates should be considered for the Bears during the NFL draft, including UCLA linebacker Carson Schwesinger, who is projected to be available when the Bears pick during the second round.

In an era when more teams are focusing on athletic linebackers rather than physical specimens, Scwesinger is the perfect example of what defensive coaches are looking for in linebackers. While his 6-2 height is the ideal size, his 225 pounds are smaller than most, but there is plenty of room for him to add the strength that will come at the next level.

Schwesinger has been a massive part of the Bruins' defense over the past three seasons and is coming off his best season in 2024. For the season, Schwesinger tallied 136 total tackles (90 Solo) while also registering four sacks. Considering he had one career sack prior to last season and 17 combined tackles, it demonstrates the amount of work he put in to not only get on the field but also to become an every-down player for the Bruins' defense.

Ranked as the second-best linebacker in this year's class, no one would be shocked to see him land in the first round despite his grading out as a second-round prospect. The former walk-on transformed into an All-American performer this past season, demonstrating the exceptional work ethic he brings to the field.

He’s a human bloodhound, pairing elite instincts with an understanding of blocking schemes and run tracks. That alone makes him an intriguing fit for Dennis Allen, should the Bears consider him a suitable option. Known for being one of the best defensive coordinators in the game, Allen loves players with instinct and a work ethic, coaching them to a level that gets the most out of them.

Even if he isn't the fastest when it comes to pursuit, his ability to recognize and diagnose the play quicker than most allows him to play faster than he is, as he often gets to the ball before anyone else. Known for having a tendency to struggle when bigger defenders get a body on him, Schwesinger is a sound technician and is one of the best open-field tackles in this entire class regardless of position.

The odd thing about him and his high grades is that no one has been able to pick out an NFL player that he is comparable to. That can be a good thing or a bad thing, depending on how you look at things, but that shouldn't take away from the player he is. If you had to look at a current NFL player as a close comparison, former UCLA Bruin Eric Kendricks does come to mind as both of them play a similar style of football.