Alex Highsmith

Experience: 5 years

Height: 6-4

Age: 26

Weight: 242 lbs

College: Charlotte

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YEAR	TEAM	G	Total	Solo	AST	SCK	PDEF	INT	TDS	YDS	AVG	LNG
2023	Pittsburgh Steelers	17	51	28	23	7	3	2	1	30	15	30
2022	Pittsburgh Steelers	17	60	35	25	14.5	1
2021	Pittsburgh Steelers	16	65	37	28	6	0
2020	Pittsburgh Steelers	16	42	26	16	2	1	1	0	2	2	2
TOTAL		66	218	126	92	29.5	5	3	1	32	10.7	30

Biography

PRO CAREER

Has played in 49 games (38 starts) in his NFL career
Has registered 179 tackles (110 solo), 32 tackles for loss, 22.5 sacks, 41 quarterback hits, one interception, two passes defensed and six forced fumbles
Has recorded six tackles (four solo) on special teams
Ranks first in strip sacks (five), first in forced fumbles (six) and tied for second-most in sacks (17.5) in his last 20 games dating back to Week 16 of the 2021 season
Has recorded seven multi-sack games in his career
Made NFL debut in Week 1 of 2020 (at N.Y. Giants)
Made NFL starting debut in week 13 of 2020 (vs. Washington)

PRO CAREER

Has played in 49 games (38 starts) in his NFL career
Has registered 179 tackles (110 solo), 32 tackles for loss, 22.5 sacks, 41 quarterback hits, one interception, two passes defensed and six forced fumbles
Has recorded six tackles (four solo) on special teams
Ranks first in strip sacks (five), first in forced fumbles (six) and tied for second-most in sacks (17.5) in his last 20 games dating back to Week 16 of the 2021 season
Has recorded seven multi-sack games in his career
Made NFL debut in Week 1 of 2020 (at N.Y. Giants)
Made NFL starting debut in week 13 of 2020 (vs. Washington)

2022 (STEELERS)

Played in 16 regular-season games (16 starts)
Registered 63 tackles (38 solo), 20 quarterback hits, 12 tackles for loss, five forced fumbles, 14.5 sacks and one pass defensed
Ranked first on the team in sacks and forced fumbles
Ranked second on the team in tackles for loss and quarterback hits
His 14.5 sacks were tied for sixth-most in the NFL, fourth-most in the AFC and fifth-most in single-season franchise history
His five forced fumbles were tied for first in the League
His four strip sacks were tied for second-most in the League
Registered career highs in sacks (3.0) and quarterback hits (four) in Week 1 at Cincinnati
Added on nine tackles (six solo), two tackles for loss and a forced fumble that was recovered by DT Cameron Heyward in Week 1 at Cincinnati
Recorded the fifth multi-sack game of his career with 1.5 in Week 3 at Cleveland, along with eight tackles (six solo), two quarterback hits and two tackles for loss
Strip sacked QB Tom Brady in a Week 6 victory vs. Tampa Bay
Was named the AFC Defensive Player of the Week for his performance in Week 10 vs. New Orleans where he registerered five tackles (three solo), 2.0 sacks, one tackle for loss, one quarterback hit and one forced fumble
Notched his fourth strip sack of the season in Week 12 at Indianapolis
Took down QB Deshaun Watson for 2.5 sacks in the season finale vs. Cleveland along with eight tackles (six solo), two tackles for loss and three quarterback hits

2021 (STEELERS)

Played in 16 regular-season games (16 starts)
Registered career highs in tackles (74 total, 46 solo) and tackles for loss (15)
Added on 15 quarterback hits, 6.0 sacks and one forced fumble
Inactive due to a groin injury in Week 3 vs Cincinnati
Registered the first multi-sack game of his career with 1.5 takedowns of QB Geno Smith in Week 6 vs Seattle and repeated the feat in Week 11 at the Los Angeles Chargers
Recorded the first game of his career with double-digit tackles (11) in Week 10 vs Detroit
Left the Week 14 game at Minnesota with a hamstring injury and did not return
Notched the first strip sack of his career on QB Patrick Mahomes in Week 16 at Kansas City
Recorded a career-high 2.0 sacks in Week 17 vs Cleveland

2020 (STEELERS)

Played in 16 games (five starts)
Registered 42 tackles, 26 solo stops, five tackles for loss, 2.0 sacks, six quarterback hits, one interception and one pass defensed
Recorded six tackles (four solo) on special teams
Reached a career high in special-teams tackles with three in Week 6 vs. Cleveland
Recorded the first sack of his career in Week 9 at Dallas
Entered the starting lineup in Week 13 vs. Washington
Intercepted his first career pass in Week 8 at Baltimore

COLLEGE

Four-year letterwinner at Charlotte (2015-19)
Owns school records for sacks in a game (4.5), season (14.0) and career (20.0) and tackles for loss in a game (5.0) and season (21.5)
Ranks second in school history with 46.0 tackles for loss and fifth with 185 career tackles
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 tackles for loss (21.5) in 2019
Named to PFF's 2019 All-Draft Stock Team for those players whose 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
2019 Burlsworth Trophy Semifinalist
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
Graduated with a degree in exercise science

PERSONAL

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