Alonzo Highsmith

Alonzo Walter Highsmith (born February 26, 1965 in Bartow, Florida) is a former professional American football running back in the National Football League for the Houston Oilers, Dallas Cowboys, and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. He played college football at the University of Miami and was drafted in the first round (third overall) of the 1987 NFL Draft.

Football career
Alonzo Highsmith was an All-American defensive end for Christopher Columbus High School in Miami-Dade County. Alonzo was one of the most highly-recruited players for the class of 1982 and eventually chose Miami over offers from Notre Dame and Michigan. Highsmith was a four-time letterman in college, and a member of the 1983 Hurricanes squad that won the national championship with a 31-30 victory over Nebraska in the Orange Bowl. He played in six NFL seasons from 1987 to 1992 for the Oilers, Cowboys, and Buccaneers. Due to a series of knee injuries, Highsmith retired from professional football after the 1992 football season.

Alonzo was interviewed about his time at the University of Miami for the documentary The U, which premiered December 12, 2009 on ESPN.

Boxing career
Following his football career, Highsmith became a professional boxer. Over a four-year career, Highsmith amassed a 27-1-2 record in the heavyweight division, with 23 of those victories coming by way of knockout.

Post-athletic career
Currently, Highsmith resides in Missouri City, Texas with his wife, Denise Highsmith, and he is the father of 5 children. He currently is a scout for the Green Bay Packers. Highsmith will be moving to Green bay in the summer of 2012 as he will be accepting a position (Senior Personnel Executive) in the front office of the Green Bay packers.

Personal
Highsmith's father, Walter Highsmith, was also a successful football player and coach. He, like Alonzo, played for the Oilers in 1972. He also played for the Montreal Alouettes and Alonzo played football and basketball in Montreal as a teenager. Walter was also the former head coach of Texas Southern University and has enjoyed several coaching stints in college football and the CFL. One of Highsmith's sons, Brandon Thermilus, is a running back at the University at Buffalo. Another of his sons, A.J. is a defensive back for the University of Miami. Another of his sons, also named Alonzo Highsmith, currently plays linebacker for the University of Arkansas. Highsmith's cousin, Ali Highsmith, played for the Arizona Cardinals.