UCLA LB Carson Schwesinger has not made NFL decision yet – Daily News

LOS ANGELES (AP) — UCLA linebacker Carson Schwesinger still has college eligibility, but his breakthrough performance this season could force him to make an important decision: Stay in college football for another year or go to the NFL?

Foster told reporters Wednesday that Schwesinger, who leads the Big Ten Conference in tackles, won’t make a decision until after the season ends.

“He’s determined to finish this year,” Foster said. “I can respect that. I didn’t even want to put anything in his ear because whatever decision he makes, I will respect it because Carson is that kind of kid. He’s really going to do whatever is best for him in this situation.”

Schwesinger is a finalist for the Butkus Award, given to college football’s top linebacker. He started as a walk-on and now ranks third in the FBS with 121 total tackles as a redshirt junior. He leads the entire FBS in solo tackles with 79 and tackles per game with 7.2.

“It’s hard to think about other things during the season,” Schwesinger said of the decision-making process. “So it’s just a matter of focusing on the season so far.”

Foster will have one-on-one meetings with each player on the team less than a week after the final game of the season against Fresno State on Saturday. He will discuss each player’s future with them, but has already had some discussions with players who want to pursue a professional career.

Running back Keegan Jones, quarterback Ethan Garbers and offensive lineman Josh Carlin have already spoken to Foster about the NFL.

“Just come through strong,” he told them. “You want to finish strong. I want to send you out the right way. And then it’s usually exactly what I was looking for in an agent.”

Assistant coach disciplined

UCLA received three unsportsmanlike conduct penalties just before halftime of Saturday’s game against USC, which brought the Bruins back to the 5-yard line early in the second half.

One of those penalties was assessed to head football performance coach Corey Miller. After the game, a video surfaced of Miller gesturing at a USC player and eventually giving him the middle finger.

“We talked about it, sat down and were able to work it out internally,” said Foster, who added that Miller was disciplined internally. “He felt pretty bad about it.”

“He expressed his feelings to the team, the coaches and everyone else. You have to lead by example. You can’t get out of control in any situation. It was an unfortunate situation and he feels terrible about what happened and the punishment. He made sure he did everything right with the team.”

View awards

UCLA defensive coordinator Ikaika Malloe has been nominated for the Broyles Award, which recognizes the best assistant coaches in the country. Malloe is one of 65 nominees selected from approximately 1,500 assistant coaches across FBS football.