#7 Ali Highsmith Season 2024
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
|