By Ross Jackson
It’s not just quarterbacks that the New Orleans Saints are showing interest in during this year’s NFL Draft cycle. The team is working to meet with and evaluate as many players at as many positions as possible before the selection process kicks off later this month.
Per ESPN’s Adam Schefter, one of their latest up-close looks was at UCLA’s pro day with linebacker Carson Schwesinger drawing a crowd of 30 NFL teams. The Saints were among three to meet privately with Schwesinger.
The 6-foot-2, 242 pound linebacker impressed at the Combine without participating in all of the workouts. His 20 bench reps and 39.5-inch vertical stats were the ones that caught eyes.
Schefter reports that his pro day at UCLA continued his momentum with a 10-foot-7 broad jump and impressive times in the 3-cone and shoulder shuttle drills.
2024 Stats
The 2024 first-team All-American led the FBS in solo tackles (90) and loaded up the stat sheet as a leader in the Bruins defense.
He had 136 total tackles, nine for a loss, four sacks, a pair of interceptions, three passes defended and a forced fumble.
you won’t see many LBs run as much as Carson Schwesinger (#49) did at UCLA. A real highlight of his game is watching him as the pole runner on UCLA’s cover 2 looks. pic.twitter.com/wEV7uzuNhb
— Nate Tice (@Nate_Tice) March 31, 2025
Draft Outlook
Behind Georgia’s Jalon Walker and Alabama’s Jihaad Campbell, Schwesinger is in conversation to be the third linebacker in this year’s draft class alongside South Carolina’s Demetrius Knight Jr. and Chris Paul Jr. of Ole Miss.
He is projected to go off the board early in round two, with some rumbling that he could land in day one. Iowa’s Jack Campbell had a similar projection late in the 2023 draft process and ended up going No. 18 overall to the Detroit Lions.
Nabbing a linebacker in this year’s draft would make sense for the Saints, who may be looking to prepare for life after star backer Demario Davis is through. However, the level of investment for Schwesinger, expected to go high this year, requires the additional homework the team looks to be doing.
