LSU Gold

#7 Ali Highsmith Season 2024

Position
Linebacker
Height
6'1
Weight
223
Class
Senior
Hometown
Miami, Fla.
High School
Central HS

2007 First-Team All-American (CBSSports.com)
2007 Second-Team All-American (AP)
2007 First-Team All-SEC (SEC Coaches)
2007 Butkus Award Semifinalist
2006 Second-Team All-SEC (SEC Coaches)
2006 Butkus Award Semifinalist
2005 SEC Defensive Player of the Week (Oct. 15 vs. Florida)

CAREER
Played in 52 games, starting 38 times … Started final 28 games of his career … For career, racked up 260 total tackles, 26 tackles for losses and 11 sacks … Also added three fumble recoveries, 13 PBUs and an interception … Key member of an LSU defense that ranked among the top five in the nation in total defense from 2005-07 … Played in Senior Bowl and was named the South’s Defensive MVP in that contest … Graduated in December of 2007 with a degree in general studies.

SENIOR SEASON (2007)
Played and started in all 14 games during LSU’s national championship season … Tied with Craig Steltz for team-high honors in total tackles with 101 … Added nine tackles for losses, three sacks, nine quarterback pressures and eight PBUs … Also forced two fumbles and recovered another … Had perhaps the best game of his career against Ohio State in the BCS National Championship Game as he registered a team-best eight tackles to go with 1.5 sacks and a forced fumble … Had career-best 19 tackles, including 15 solo, in triple-overtime contest against Arkansas … Also had double-figure tackle games vs. Auburn with 11 stops and 10 against South Carolina.

JUNIOR SEASON (2006)
A leader on the defensive side of the ball, he was named a second-team All-SEC selection by the league’s coaches … Was one of the Tigers’ top tacklers with 63 on the year … Was also credited with 5.5 tackles for loss, three sacks, four pass breakups, two forced fumbles and a quarterback hurry … Tied his career-high tackles total against Ole Miss, registering 10 in the overtime win over the Rebels … Had eight tackles, including three for losses, and a career-high tying two sacks in the Tigers’ victory over Fresno State … Also had eight tackles against Alabama … Was all over the field against Florida, recording seven tackles (six solo), a sack, a forced fumble and a pass breakup … Forced another fumble, broke up two passes and had five stops (four solo) in the Tigers’ win over Tennessee … Also registered five tackles in the Allstate Sugar Bowl.

SOPHOMORE SEASON (2005)
LSU’s starter at the outside (will) linebacker spot … Played in 13 games with nine starts … Ranked second on team with 75 tackles, 36 of which were solo … Ranked second on team with 9.5 tackles for loss … Led all LSU linebackers with four sacks … Forced three fumbles … Returned a fumble 22-yards for a touchdown against Vanderbilt … Named SEC Defensive Player of the Week against Florida after recording eight tackles, 3.5 tackles for loss and a pair of sacks in the 21-17 win over the Gators … Had eight or more tackles in five games … Forced fumbles in three of LSU’s first four games.

FRESHMAN SEASON (2004)
Played in all 12 games with two starts … Had starts at sam linebacker against Mississippi State and Georgia … Also played on special teams … Finished with 21 tackles … Had five solo tackles and 16 assists … Recorded two tackles for loss to go along with a sack for an 11-yard loss … Intercepted a pass and forced a fumble against Arkansas State … Posted a season-high six tackles against Mississippi State and five vs. Arkansas State.

HIGH SCHOOL
A blue-chip linebacker rated among the best in Florida and the Deep South in 2003 … Leader of the top defense (3.9 points per game) in Dade County in 2002 … Had 90 tackles, seven sacks, eight caused fumbles and six fumble recoveries, including three for touchdowns during his senior season in 2002 … Recorded two consecutive fumble recoveries for touchdowns during a Sept. 4 game vs. 6A powerhouse Killian … Recorded 90 tackles, seven sacks and two interceptions as a junior in 2001 … Clocked at 4.50 in the 40-yard dash … A four-year letterman at Central High School … Coached by Tony Saunders.

PERSONAL
Full name is Arlington Louis Highsmith … Born Jan. 20, 1985, in Miami … Parents are Elvis and Venus Highsmith … Cousin is Alonzo Highsmith, a former standout with the Miami Hurricanes and seven-year NFL veteran … Originally signed with Miami (Fla.) in 2003 … Never enrolled at Miami.

CAREER HIGHS   
Total tackles: 19 vs. Arkansas, 2007
Tackles for loss: 4 vs. Florida, 2005
Sacks: 2, three times
Interceptions: 1 vs. Arkansas State, 2004

HIGHSMITH’S CAREER DEFENSIVE STATS

Year
G-GS
UT
AT
TT
TFL
Sacks
INT

PBU

QBH

FR

FF
2004
12-2
5
16
21
2-11
1-11

1-10

0

0

1-0

0
2005
13-9
36
39
75
9.5-43
4-36

0

1

1

1-22

3
2006
13-13
26
37
63
5.5-16
3-13

0

4

4

0

2
2007

14-14

57

44

101

9.0-39

3-27

0

8

9

1-0

2

Totals
52-38
124
136
260
26-109
11-87

1-10

13

14

3-22

7
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