DALLAS – Conference USA had ten players selected in the 2020 National Football League Draft, which concluded early Saturday evening. Charlotte, FIU, Louisiana Tech and Marshall each had a pair of standouts taken, while Florida Atlantic and Southern Miss both had one player chosen to continue their football careers in the NFL.
Charlotte All-America DE Alex Highsmith the first C-USA player to go off the board, being taken in the third round by the Pittsburgh Steelers at No. 102 overall. He becomes the third 49er in school history to be selected in the NFL Draft, with all three taken in the third round over the last four years. Highsmith, who became the 49ers all-time sack leader this past year, is projected an outside linebacker at the next level. The former walk-on is a two-time First Team All-C-USA selection and owns school records for sacks in a game (4.5), season (14.0) and career (20.0) and tackles for loss (TFL) in a game (5.0) and season (21.5). He ranked fourth in the nation in sacks (14.0) and fifth in TFL (21.5) in 2019, leading the 49ers to a school-record seven wins and a trip to the Makers Wanted Bahamas Bowl.
Florida Atlantic’s Harrison Bryant, the 2019 John Mackey Award winner as the nation’s top tight end, was taken by the Cleveland Browns early in the fourth round (No. 119 overall). Bryant, the most highly decorated player in FAU football’s 19-season history, became the 10th Owls player since 2010 to be drafted. He became FAU’s first individual national award winner and also was a unanimous All-American last season after leading all FBS tight ends in receptions (65) and receiving yards (1,004), while placing fourth with seven T/D catches. Bryant tallied 148 career receptions, 2,137 yards and 16 touchdowns in his four years.
FIU’s James Morgan was selected by the New York Jets in the fourth round, as the former Panther quarterback was picked 125th overall. He is only the second Panther quarterback to be selected and Morgan is FIU’s fourth-highest NFL Draft pick. Morgan led the Panthers to back-to-back bowl games and threw for 40 touchdowns in only two seasons to rank third all-time in program history. He racked up over 5,000 career passing yards at FIU as well to rank third, while his 143.4 passer rating with the Panthers set a new school record. Coming to south Florida in 2018, Morgan took FIU and the Conference USA by storm as he broke the school’s single-season passing touchdown record and was named the league’s Newcomer of the Year.
Four picks later, the New York Jets tapped into C-USA again, taking Charlotte OT Cameron Clark at pick 129. Clark became the 49ers all-time games played leader this past year and was named First Team All-C-USA by the league’s coaches. He anchored an offensive line that led C-USA in rushing (203.0 yards per game) and completed his career with a school-record 49 games played. Clark started 31 consecutive games, including the program’s first bowl appearance, to close out his career. His selection gave Charlotte multiple draft picks in the same season for the first time in the program’s short history.
Louisiana Tech secondary stars were selected back-to-back in the fourth round, beginning with S L’Jarius Sneed being taken with the 138th overall pick by the Super Bowl champion Kansas City Chiefs. The Minden, Louisiana native, who ran the 40-yard dash in 4.37 seconds at the NFL Combine, saw action in 51 games for the Bulldogs during his career, making 33 starts. During his four years in Ruston, Sneed totaled 179 tackles, 6.0 tackles for loss, 2.5 sacks, eight interceptions and 28 pass break ups. He racked up 154 return yards on his eight interceptions, including three returns for touchdowns. Sneed earned Second Team All-Conference USA honors as a senior after leading the Bulldogs with 72 tackles (42 solo) and adding three interceptions and nine pass break ups.
One of the most highly-decorated defensive backs in Louisiana Tech history went with the next pick, as CB Amik Robertson was selected with the 139th pick by the Las Vegas Raiders. Robertson, who is foregoing his senior year at Louisiana Tech, started all three of his seasons as a Bulldog, totaling 183 tackles, 23 tackles for loss, four sacks, 48 pass break ups and 14 interceptions. He racked up 265 yards of return yardage on his 14 interceptions (second-most in school history), including three returns for touchdowns. Robinson, a two-time First Team All-Conference USA honoree, earned first team All-American honors as a junior by both the Football Writers Association of America (FWAA) and Pro Football Focus, while earning second team honors by the Associated Press and The Athletic. He was named a Freshman All-American in 2017 by the FWAA.
Marshall’s Justin Rohrwasser became the first kicker to be selected in this year’s draft when the New England Patriots took him in the fifth round (No. 159 overall). Rohrwasser was the Conference USA Special Teams Player of the Year in 2019, the first time a placekicker has won the award since 2005. He had the top field goal percentage in C-USA at .857, connecting on 18-of-21 field goal attempts last season. Rohrwasser was also 34-of-35 on extra-point attempts, giving him 89 points on the year. He produced 15 of his 17 field goals in conference games, while connecting on all 19 PATs in league play.
Southern Miss WR Quez Watkins was taken in the sixth round (200th pick overall) by the Philadelphia Eagles. The two-time Conference USA first-team selection entered the draft following his junior campaign. In three seasons at Southern Miss, Watkins finished second on the career charts in both receiving yards (2,404) and catches (159). After posting five 100-yard receiving games in 2019, he finished with 10 for his career, which also ranks second for a Golden Eagle career. This past season, Watkins paced C-USA in receiving yards per game at 107.1 and had 1,178 receiving yards in 11 games with six TD catches. He became the eighth USM receiver to reach 1,000-receiving yards in a season. Watkins registered a team-leading 19 explosive plays of 20-or-more yards, including a season-best 77 touchdown catch at UTSA. He had the most plays from scrimmage of 40+ yards (8), 50+ yards (5), 60+ yards (4) and 70+ yards (2) among all C-USA players.
FIU DB Stantley Thomas-Oliver was chosen by the Carolina Panthers in the seventh round at 221 overall. His selection gave the Panthers multiple players taken in the same draft for the first time since 2013. Thomas-Oliver impressed many NFL scouts following his collegiate career, earning invites to the East-West Shrine Game, Tropical Bowl and Hula Bowl. The cornerback earned back-to-back All-Conference USA honors as a defensive back, while also earning conference All-Freshman recognition as a wide receiver in 2016. Thomas-Oliver helped FIU to three-straight bowl games and had one of his biggest interceptions during the 30-24 win over the Miami Hurricanes last season.
Marshall DB Chris Jackson was selected 243rd overall by the Tennessee Titans in the seventh round. He is the first Marshall player taken by the franchise, even dating back to its days as the Houston Oilers. Jackson’s selection gave the Thundering Herd multiple players taken in the same draft for the seventh time and the first since 2003. One of the most decorated defensive backs in school history, he finished as Marshall’s all-time leader with 45 career pass breakups, ahead of Melvin Cunningham’s 41. Jackson’s 52 passes defended is second only to Cunningham’s 53. As a senior, Jackson was named First Team All-Conference USA, racking up 25 tackles, with 11 pass breakups and one interception. He earned all-league recognition in each of his four seasons, including an All-Freshman nod in 2016.
Additional Conference USA players are expected to sign free agent deals in the coming days.
CONFERENCE USA’S 2020 NFL DRAFTEES
Round Overall Player Pos. C-USA School NFL Team
Third 102 Alex Highsmith OLB Charlotte Pittsburgh Steelers
Fourth 115 Harrison Bryant TE Florida Atlantic Cleveland Browns
Fourth 125 James Morgan QB FIU New York Jets
Fourth 129 Cameron Clark OT Charlotte New York Jets
Fourth 138 L’Jarius Sneed S Louisiana Tech Kansas City Chiefs
Fourth 139 Amik Robertson CB Louisiana Tech Las Vegas Raiders
Fifth 159 Justin Rohrwasser K Marshall New England Patriots
Sixth 200 Quez Watkins WR Southern Miss Philadelphia Eagles
Seventh 221 Stantley Thomas-Oliver CB FIU Carolina Panthers
Seventh 243 Chris Jackson S Marshall Tennessee Titans
