After a season no one saw coming, UCLA linebacker Carson Schwesinger is taking the next step toward what could be a bright future.

The redshirt junior announced Thursday evening he would forgo his final season of eligibility and declare for the NFL draft.

The former walk-on, who starred at Santa Clarita Christian and Oaks Christian high schools, had said before the Bruins’ final game against Fresno State that he was undecided as to whether he would stay for another year. Even when he walked out among the seniors before their 20-13 victory over the Bulldogs, some were still hopeful it wasn’t his last game.

In capping a season that was a surprise to many, Schwesinger produced a line that was not. The 6-foot-2, 225-pounder led UCLA with 15 tackles and 11 solo tackles in the win to go with a sack, a tackle for loss and a pass defended.

In the end, Schwesinger was named an Associated Press first-team All-American, a Butkus Award finalist and made the All-Big Ten first team. He led the conference with 136 total tackles, 11.3 total tackles per game, 90 solo tackles, 7.5 solo tackles per game and nine double-digit-tackle games.

Schwesinger posted all of those numbers despite not making his first start as a Bruin until the third game of the season, thanks to Oluwafemi Oladejo moving from linebacker to defensive end.

Before this season, Schwesinger had recorded a total of 27 tackles. He never saw the field as a freshman and played in every game as a backup linebacker and special teams player as a sophomore and junior.

His departure, along with that of redshirt senior Kain Medrano, leaves a chasm for the Bruins at linebacker. So far, the Bruins have added Benjamin Perry, a safety/linebacker hybrid from Louisville, via the transfer portal and, according to Bruin Report Online, are reportedly targeting Oregon State’s Isaiah Chisom, Temple’s Tyquan King and Washington’s Khmori House.

Toler named receivers coach

UCLA announced the hiring of Burl Toler III as its pass game coordinator, recruiting coordinator and wide receivers coach on Friday.

Toler spent the past seven seasons at Cal, his alma mater where he coached the running backs in 2018, wide receivers from 2019-21 and added the role of recruiting coordinator from 2022-24.

“Watching Coach Toler’s receivers on the field, I liked how they approached every snap,” Bruins head coach DeShaun Foster said in a statement. “He not only knows the West Coast landscape and how to find the right players, but what it takes to have them produce day in and day out.”