UCLA linebacker Carson Schwesinger will forego his final year of eligibility and enter next spring’s NFL draft, he announced Thursday evening on Instagram.

Schwesinger had a breakout 2024 season that earned him first-team All-American honors from the Associated Press and second-team selections from the Walter Camp Football Foundation and the American Football Coaches Association.

“My time in Westwood has been incredibly rewarding,” Schwesinger wrote as part of a graphic announcing his decision. “To Coach (DeShaun) Foster and the entire staff at UCLA, thank you for believing in me.”

Schwesinger, a Butkus Award finalist, led the Big Ten Conference during the regular season in total tackles (136), total tackles per game (11.3), solo tackles (90), solo tackles per game (7.5) and double-digit-tackle performances (nine). His 90 solo tackles were the most by a Big Ten defenseman during the regular season in at least the last 22 years.

In all, the 6-foot-2, 225-pound former walk-on made 163 career tackles over 38 games — including 10 starts that were all made this past season.

Schwesinger is one of five key inside linebackers leaving the program and leads a group of the top 12 tacklers not returning to Westwood.

Others leaving the position group include second-leading tackler Kain Medrano, hybrid edge rusher Oluwafemi Oladejo, Ale Kaho and JonJon Vaughns, who all exhausted their eligibility.

Jalen Woods, who made 22 tackles this past season, is currently the team and position group’s top returning tackler.