*CAREER
*2020 NFL Combine participant ... named to the 2020 NFL All-Combine Team as an edge rusher ... 2020 East-West Shrine Bowl ... 2019 Third Team All-America by both AP and Pro Football Focus ... first 49er to earn all-America honors ... 2020 East-West Shrine Bowl ... 2018 and 2019 First Team All-Conference USA (coaches) ... first 49er to be named first-team All-C-USA twice ... 2019 First Team All-C-USA by PFF and Phil Steele ... ranked fourth in the nation in sacks (14.0) and fifth in TFLs (21.5) ... named to PFF's 2019 All-Draft Stock Team for those players who draft stock rose the most this season ... starting DE in 49ers' first-ever bowl game (2019 Bahamas Bowl) ... 2019 Team Captain ... 2019 Chuck Bednarik Award (Defensive Player of the Year) Watch List ... Burlsworth Trophy Semifinalist ... owns school records for sacks in a game (4.5), season (14.0) and career (20.0) and TFLs in a game (5.0) and season (21.5) ... second all-time with 46.0 TFL ... fifth all-time with 185 career tackles ... 2019 Preseason all-Conference USA (coaches) ... 2018 first-team all-C-USA by PFF and second team by Phil Steele ... joined the 49ers for the 2015 season as a walk-on ... earned scholarship during the summer of 2017.
*2019 SEASON
*Chuck Bednarik Award (Defensive Player of the Year) Watch List ... Burlsworth Trophy Semifinalist (top collegiate player that began career as a walk-on) ... broke school records for sacks in a game (4.5 vs. Old Dominion), season (14.0) and career (20.0) and TFLs in a game (5.0) and season (21.5) ... fourth in the nation in sacks (14.0) and fifth in TFLs (21.5) ... career-high 75 tackles ... team-high 8 QB hurries ... three PBUs and 1 forced fumble ... started all 13 games ... 7 tackles vs. Buffalo in Bahamas Bowl ... PFF National Team of the Week after Old Dominion win (career-high 12 tackles; records of 4.5 sacks and 5.0 TFL) ... Five-time C-USA Defensive Team of the Week (PFF) ... preseason All-Conference USA (coaches) ... preseason All-C-USA First Team selection by Athlon Sports, Phil Steele and Street & Smiths.
*2018 SEASON
*Breakout season with career-best in tackles, TFL and sacks ... 49ers' single-season school record with 17.5 TFL ... tied 49ers single-game record with 4.5 TFL at FAU in season-finale victory ... 2018 first-team all Conference USA ... named first-team all-C-USA by Pro Football Focus (PFF) and second team by Phil Steele ... had C-USA's highest run-defense grade (90.6) and second-highest overall grade (89.7) by PFF ... PFF ranked him first in C-USA with 46 stops ... started all 12 games at DE ... earned PFF National Team of the Week honors following win at FAU (career-high 10 tackles; school-record 4.5 TFL; 1.5 sacks) ... also named Madness C-USA POTW ... named league's Defensive Player of the Week after 7.0 tackle; 4.0 TFL outing at the SEC's Tennessee as Charlotte held Vols to season-lows of 192 yards of total offense and 20 yards rushing ... had three games with at least 2.5 TFL (4.5 at FAU; 4.0 at UT; 2.5 vs. App State).
*2017 SEASON
*Increased impact dramatically mid-season ... played in 11 games without a start ... led 49ers with a career-high 7.0 QB hurries (sixth-most in a single season) ... fifth on the team with 5.0 TFL ... tied for 2nd on the team with 2.0 sacks ... totaled 33 tackles (23 solo) with 5.0 TFLs, 2.0 sacks, 7.0 QB hurries and one fumble recovery ... over the final 5 games had 22 tackles, all 5.0 TFLs, both sacks, six QB hurries and one fumble recovery ... had a career-best 8 tackles (7 solo), 4.0 TFLs with 1.0 sack at Western Kentucky ... 4.0 TFLs were second-most by a 49er in a game ... 5.0 tackles with 1.0 TFL, 1.0 sack at Old Dominion ... 5.0 tackles vs. Middle Tennessee and Georgia State ... tied a school record with four QB hurries vs. Middle Tennessee ... key fumble recovery in 25-24 OT win over UAB.
*2016 SEASON
*Played in all 12 games, making one start as a redshirt freshman ... lone start came in season-finale at UTSA ... finished year with 17 tackles (11 solo), 2.0 TFL, 1.0 sacks, one QB hurry and 1 pass breakup ... top game came in starting assignment at UTSA: season-high five tackles (five solo), 1.0 TFL on his first career sack ... at least one tackle in each of his final 11 games ... TFL vs. Middle Tennessee ... two tackles at Temple and at Florida Atlantic in 49ers' first-ever C-USA win ... one tackle and one QB hurry vs. Old Dominion ... one tackle (TFL) and one PBU vs. Middle Tennessee.
*2015 SEASON
*Redshirt season.
*PERSONAL
*Born August 7, 1997 ... parents are Sam and Pam Highsmith ... has a sister, Lauryn ... major in exercise science with a minor in American Studies ... A/B Honor Roll throughout high school ... National Honor Society ... also played basketball and baseball.
