Alex Highsmith


Alex Highsmith is an American football outside linebacker for the Pittsburgh Steelers of the National Football League. He played college football at Charlotte.

Early life and high school

Highsmith grew up in Wilmington, North Carolina and attended Eugene Ashley High School, where he played baseball, basketball and football. He played middle linebacker and fullback and was named second team All-Area and first team All-Mideastern Conference as a senior. He was also named All-Area in baseball. Highsmith was lightly recruited by college programs and only received interest from Davidson and Furman before being offered a spot on UNC Charlotte's team as a walk on.

College career

Highsmith joined the Charlotte 49ers as a walk-on and redshirted his true freshman season. As a redshirt freshman, he played in all 12 of the 49ers games and finished the season with 17 tackles and a sack. Highsmith was a key member of Charlotte's defensive line rotation during his redshirt sophomore season and finished the year with 33 tackles with 5.0 tackles for loss, 2.0 sacks and one fumble recovery. He was named a starter at defensive end as a redshirt junior and was named first team All-Conference USA after setting a school record with 17.5 tackles for loss along with 60 total tackles, three sacks and two forced fumbles. He was again named first team All-Conference USA and war also a third team All-America selection by the Associated Press as a senior after setting new school records with 14 sacks and 21.5 tackles for loss.

College statistics

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Professional career

Highsmith was drafted by the Pittsburgh Steelers in the third round, 102nd overall, of the 2020 NFL Draft.