NFL executive boldly identifies one rising NFL star as the next Luke Kuechly, it’s a high comparison that hasn’t been earned yet
Carolina Panthers Hall of Fame linebacker Luke Kuechly earned his place among the best players in NFL history and now one NFL executive believes a new NFL rising star will follow in his footsteps.
In just a few weeks, Carolina Panthers linebacker Luke Kuechly will be enshrined into the Pro Football Hall of Fame and take his place among the best players in NFL history. It’s a high honor but one that couldn’t have gone to a more deserving player.
Kuechly’s career with the Panthers was cut way too short after just eight seasons in the NFL, but he certainly make his mark in that short period of time as one of the best linebackers the league has ever seen.
”It’s something I certainly didn’t think about when I decided to move on and stop playing,” Kuechly said. “I played my eight years and had a ton of fun doing it.”
Adapting in life without Kuechly was a tough process for the Panthers, and something the organization is still trying to figure out. Fact of the matter is, you can’t replace a guy like Kuechly because there will never be a player like Kuechly again. However, one NFL executive believes one rising NFL star can follow in those large footsteps.
NFL executive claims Carson Schwesinger is the next Luke Kuechly, and he might be right
On Tuesday, ESPN released the Top-10 rankings at the linebacker position based on votes collected from league executives, coaches, and scouts. The most surprising ranking was Cleveland Browns linebacker Carson Schwesinger coming in at No. 3 on the list after just one season in the NFL. And it wasn’t just that Top-3 ranking that was surprising, it’s what one NFL executive had to say about the rising star.
“He’s [Luke] Kuechly reincarnated,” a personnel executive with an NFL team said. “Elite speed, athleticism, instincts, ball skills.”
That’s quite the lofty bar to set for a young player and one Panthers fans won’t appreciate just being thrown around so loosely.
Schwesinger was named Defensive Rookie of the Year after the 2025-26 season, something only one linebacker has accomplished since Kuechly earned the award in 2012 (Shaquille Leonard). While it was a great first step in the direction of following Kuechly’s footsteps, Schwesinger has a long way to go before earning that kind of praise.
Kuechly followed up his DROTY season with seven straight Pro Bowl selections and seven All-Pro selections. In Year 2, he was named the Defensive Player of the Year after totaling 156 tackles and four interceptions.
At one point, it seemed like Leonard was the one destined to be the next Kuechly after his strong rookie season, but he couldn’t keep up that high level of play. That’s the challenge Schwesinger will be faced with entering 2026 and he couldn’t have higher expectations after getting that kind of comparison so soon.
Schwesinger is on the right path after what he showed as a rookie, but he has a long way to go before earning comparisons to the new Hall of Fame linebacker.