REPORT: UCLA's Carson Schwesinger Given NFL Comparison

As UCLA's Carson Schwesinger prepares for the draft, certain comparisons are being made about him

Nov 8, 2024; Pasadena, California, USA; UCLA Bruins linebacker Carson Schwesinger (49) and teammates celebrate after an interception in the second half against the Iowa Hawkeyes at the Rose Bowl. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images / Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images

The NFL Draft process loves players like Carson Schwesinger. Walk-on to All-American. Third round grade to fringe first-rounder. People love a story of improvement, a story of greatness. People also link to find similarities, to make things comparable, make things a bit more tangible in people's minds.

Player projections often lead to comparisons, as is the case with Schwesinger. CBS Sports had a bunch of their analysts assemble a list of the top 100 2025 NFL Draft prospects and gave each of them a player comp with a current or former NFL player.

CBS Sports' Chris Trapasso recently compared Schwesinger to NFL veteran Kiko Alonso.

"Alonso, like Schwesinger was a highly active three-down linebacker who enjoyed some outstanding seasons early in his NFL career about a decade ago," Trapasso wrote. "Schwesinger plays with almost reckless abandon when tracking the football, and he has supreme athletic gifts. He's explosive and super flexible, just like Alonso was."

Alonso, most notably known for being involved in a straight-up trade for LeSean McCoy, sending Alonso to the Philadelphia Eagles, a controversial move executed by future UCLA head coach Chip Kelly, a move that remains a negative on Kelly's career until today.

Alonso was a second-round pick out of Oregon in the 2013 NFL Draft, with the Buffalo Bills selecting him. He was a PFWA All-Rookie Team selection and PFWA NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year. However, Alonso's career failed to blossom after a stellar rookie year, perhaps a result of him constantly playing on different teams.

The Bills traded Alonso to the Eagles after two years. He stayed one year in Philadelphia before being traded to the Dolphins.

Alonso would then bounce around the league until 2022, playing for five total teams.

While Alonso's career trajectory may make some concerned about the comparison, that way aided by Kelly's bizarre trade. Alonso had certain traits and talents that made him very dangerous. He also had a temperament and a propensity to hit people that got him in trouble from time to time.

If Schwesinger has control of his emotions, something he has displayed, perhaps he could show a team what Kelly believed he was getting in the trade,

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