Alonzo Highsmith was selected by the Houston Oilers as the third-overall pick in the first round of the 1987 NFL Draft. Twenty one years later, another Highsmith will be looking to join the ranks of NFL draftees. Former LSU linebacker – and cousin of Alonzo – Ali Highsmith will be listening for his name Saturday in the 2008 NFL Draft. While this generation’s Highsmith is not expected to be selected as high as the first round, NFL draft analyst Mike Detillier said the All-Southeastern Conference performer has the potential to make an impact at the next level. “He’s a very instinctive player who makes a lot of plays sideline-to-sideline,” Detillier said. “He’s got the range [teams] are looking for.” Shortly after the Bowl Championship Series National Championship game, many league pundits had Highsmith pegged as a surefire first-round pick. But at the NFL Combine in Indianapolis, Highsmith ran a 5.0 second 40-yard dash, plummeting his draft stock into the middle rounds. “Things like that happen,” Highsmith said after working out at LSU’s Pro Day in March. “You can’t do anything but get better or get worse, and I want to show [teams] that I can overcome adversity.” At LSU’s Pro Day, Highsmith improved his time in the 40-yard dash, posting a 4.7 second mark. Detillier projects Highsmith to be selected in either the third or fourth round. “There’s no question that his poor work at the combine sunk his draft stock,” Detillier said. “When you’re an undersized linebacker, you’ve got to test out well if you’re going to get picked high. That hurt Highsmith.” ESPN.com’s draft tracker has a similar assessment of the Miami native: “While [Highsmith] is clearly a better football player than his workouts would indicate, it does raise some questions regarding his true NFL potential,” the Web site said. Despite poor marks in speed tests, Detillier said Highsmith is capable of contributing in the NFL because of his production in college. “You’ve got to look at what he did on the football field,” he said. “He played at the highest level of competition in college and made an impact. He’s battle-tested.” Highsmith tied fellow senior Craig Steltz for most tackles on the team with 101 this past season. He also added three sacks and two forced fumbles. Detillier said there are a handful of teams – including Tampa Bay, Indianapolis, St. Louis and New England – interested in Highsmith as a middle-round pick. Detillier said no matter what team selects Highsmith, he must earn his money as a backup before he can expect to contribute as a starter. “First and foremost, when you get picked in the middle rounds as a linebacker, you better play special teams,” he said. Several mock drafts have Highsmith pegged as the third Tiger selected behind defensive tackle Glenn Dorsey and wide receiver Early Doucet. Dorsey is projected as a top-five pick while Doucet is expected to be taken somewhere in the second round, according to most draft experts. Highsmith said he does not care what round he gets picked in, because he knows the team that takes him will be getting a great player. “Someone might see something [in me] that nobody else was paying attention to,” he said. “There’s a diamond in the rough everywhere.”
—-Contact James Rees at [email protected]