Charlotte 49ers Defensive End Highsmith Becomes First All-American In Program History With Third Team Selection

Charlotte 49ers defensive end Alex Highsmith has been selected as a third-team All-American by the Associated Press.

Highsmith, a 6 foot 4 inch and 242 pound senior, recorded 40 solo tackles, 14 sacks, and one forced fumble on the season, according to ESPN.   His 14 sacks were second in the nation and his 21.5 tackles for loss ranked fourth.

The Wilmington, North Carolina native was a First Team All-Conference USA selection in 2018 and began the season on the Bednarik Award Watch List.  The Bednarik Award is presented to the top defensive football player in college football.

In 2019, Highsmith set 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), according to the Charlotte 49ers Athletics website.

Highsmith is the first All-American in the seven-year history of the 49ers football program.

Charlotte plays in their first-ever bowl game on December 20th, 2019, against the University of Buffalo.

 

No. 1 LSU and No. 2 Ohio State each placed three players on the Associated Press All-America first team released Monday.

Heisman Trophy winner Joe Burrow of LSU highlights the first-team offense and Heisman finalist Chase Young of Ohio State leads the defense on the team presented by Regions Bank, which was chosen by a panel of 15 college football poll voters.

The top-ranked Tigers also placed receiver Ja’Marr Chase and cornerback Derek Stingley Jr. on the first team. Young was joined on the first team by Ohio State teammates Wyatt Davis, a guard, and Jeff Okudah, a cornerback. No. 3 Clemson’s only first-team All-American was linebacker Isaiah Simmons. No. 4 Oklahoma was represented on the first team by receiver CeeDee Lamb.

No. 5 Georgia and No. 11 Wisconsin were the other teams with multiple first-team selections. Georgia placed tackle Andrew Thomas and safety J.R. Reed on the All-America team.

Wisconsin running back Jonathan Taylor is the only player this season to repeat as a first-team All-American. Badgers center Tyler Biadasz also made the first team.

Ohio State led all teams with seven players selected to the three All-America teams, including quarterback Justin Fields, who made the second team.

No. 9 Alabama had no players selected to the first team for the first time since 2010, but it had five players combined on the second and third teams. Oklahoma and Utah also had five selections on the three teams, and LSU and Clemson each had four.

The 2019 Associated Press All-America Team presented by Regions Bank:

FIRST TEAM

OFFENSE

Quarterback — Joe Burrow, senior, LSU.

Running backs — Chuba Hubbard, sophomore, Oklahoma State; Jonathan Taylor, junior, Wisconsin.

Tackles — Penei Sewell, sophomore, Oregon; Andrew Thomas, junior, Georgia.

Guards — Wyatt Davis, sophomore, Ohio State; Kevin Dotson, senior, Louisiana-Lafayette.

Center — Tyler Biadasz, junior, Wisconsin.

Tight end — Harrison Bryant, senior, Florida Atlantic.

Wide receivers — Ja’Marr Chase, sophomore, LSU; CeeDee Lamb, junior, Oklahoma.

All-purpose player — Lynn Bowden Jr., junior, Kentucky.

Kicker — Keith Duncan, junior, Iowa.

DEFENSE

Ends — Chase Young, junior, Ohio State; James Lynch, junior, Baylor.

Tackles — Derrick Brown, senior, Auburn; Javon Kinlaw, senior, South Carolina.

Linebackers — Isaiah Simmons, junior, Clemson; Evan Weaver, senior, California; Micah Parsons, sophomore, Penn State.

Cornerbacks — Derek Stingley, freshman, LSU; Jeff Okudah, junior, Ohio State.

Safeties — Antoine Winfield Jr., sophomore, Minnesota; J.R. Reed, senior, Georgia.

Punter — Max Duffy, junior, Kentucky.

SECOND TEAM

OFFENSE

Quarterback — Justin Fields, sophomore, Ohio State.

Running backs — J.K. Dobbins, junior, Ohio State; Travis Etienne, junior, Clemson.

Tackles — Jedrick Wills Jr., junior, Alabama; Tristan Wirfs, junior, Iowa.

Guards — Shane Lemieux, senior, Oregon; John Simpson, senior, Clemson.

Center — Creed Humphrey, sophomore, Oklahoma.

Tight end — Hunter Bryant, junior, Washington.

Wide receivers — DeVonta Smith, junior, Alabama; Michael Pittman, senior, Southern California.

All-purpose player — Jaylen Waddle, sophomore, Alabama.

Kicker — Rodrigo Blankenship, senior, Georgia.

DEFENSE

Ends — A.J. Epenesa, junior, Iowa; Curtis Weaver, junior, Boise State.

Tackles — Jaylen Twyman, sophomore, Pittsburgh; Jordan Elliott, junior, Missouri.

Linebackers — Hamilcar Rashed Jr., junior, Oregon State; Zack Baun, senior, Wisconsin; Jordyn Brooks, senior, Texas Tech..

Cornerbacks — Amik Robertson, junior, Louisiana Tech; Jaylon Johnson, junior, Utah.

Safeties — Julian Blackmon, senior, Utah; Grant Delpit, junior, LSU.

Punter — Braden Mann, senior, Texas A&M.

THIRD TEAM

OFFENSE

Quarterback — Jalen Hurts, senior, Oklahoma.

Running backs — Zack Moss, senior, Utah; AJ Dillon, junior, Boston College.

Tackles — Calvin Throckmorton, senior, Oregon; Colton McKivitz, senior, West Virginia.

Guards — Jonah Jackson, senior, Ohio State; Ben Bredeson, senior, Michigan.

Center — Matt Hennessy, junior, Temple.

Tight end — Charlie Kolar, sophomore, Iowa State.

Wide receivers — Omar Bayless, senior, Arkansas State; Rashod Bateman, sophomore, Minnesota.

All-purpose player — Brandon Aiyuk, senior, Arizona State.

Kicker — Nick Sciba, sophomore, Wake Forest.

DEFENSE

Ends — Bradlee Anae, senior, Utah; Alex Highsmith, senior, Charlotte.

Tackles — Leki Fotu, senior, Utah; Neville Gallimore, senior, Oklahoma.

Linebackers — Logan Wilson, senior, Wyoming; Kenneth Murray, junior, Oklahoma; Malik Harrison, senior, Ohio State.

Cornerbacks — Trevon Diggs, senior, Alabama; Luq Barcoo, senior, San Diego State.

Safeties — Tanner Muse, senior, Clemson; Xavier McKinney, junior, Alabama.

Punter — Sterling Hofrichter, senior, Syracuse.