Alex Highsmith

BIOGRAPHY

Alex Highsmith was born August 7, 1997, in Wilmington, North Carolina. He is an outside linebacker in the NFL. 

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 was 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. 

Highsmith was drafted by the Pittsburgh Steelers in the third round, 102nd overall, of the 2020 NFL Draft. In Week 8 against the Baltimore Ravens, Highsmith recorded his first career interception off a pass thrown by Lamar Jackson during the 28–24 win. In Week 9 against the Dallas Cowboys, Highsmith recorded his first career sack on Garrett Gilbert during the 24–19 win. In Week 13 against the Washington Football Team, Highsmith made his starting debut. In it, he recorded five tackles in the Steelers first loss of the season. Highsmith would finish the remaining four games as the Steelers' starter, recording 23 more tackles as well as sack that he recorded during their season finale against the Cleveland Browns.