Football November 11, 2025
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DALLAS – Former Conference USA defensive standouts made their presence felt on defense throughout Week 10, headlined by dominant performances from Alex Highsmith (Charlotte) and Tyrice Knight (UTEP). Highsmith continued his red-hot form for Pittsburgh, registering two sacks, two tackles for loss, and three quarterback hits in another disruptive effort for the Steelers. Knight turned in a breakout performance for Seattle with eight total tackles, including three for loss and two sacks.
CUSA’s defensive depth was on display elsewhere, as Azeez Al-Shaair (Florida Atlantic) recorded eight tackles and a pass breakup for Houston, while Reed Blankenship (MTSU) tallied seven stops and recovered a fumble for Philadelphia. James Pierre (FAU) contributed five tackles and two pass deflections in the Steelers’ secondary, and Milton Williams (LA Tech) filled the stat sheet for New England with four tackles, a tackle for loss, and a quarterback hit.
On offense, Aaron Jones (UTEP) rushed for 47 yards and a touchdown and hauled in three receptions for 22 yards in Minnesota’s balanced attack. Devin Singletary (FAU) posted 73 total yards for the Giants, including 53 through the air, while Tyler Higbee (WKU) caught three passes for 33 yards for the Rams. Malachi Corley (WKU) added 32 rushing yards on two carries for Cleveland, while Jaylin Lane (Middle Tennessee) provided a spark for Washington with a 41-yard reception.
In addition to Highsmith and Knight’s standout performances, Larry Ogunjobi (Charlotte) contributed two tackles and a tackle for loss for Buffalo, and Alex Wright (UAB) added two solo tackles for Cleveland. Amik Robertson (LA Tech) chipped in a pair of stops for Detroit, while Quincy Riley (MTSU) tallied three tackles and a pass breakup for New Orleans. In the trenches, Roy Robertson-Harris (UTEP) recorded five tackles for the Giants, and Upton Stout (WKU) added four tackles and a quarterback hit for San Francisco.
On special teams, CUSA alumni continued to deliver consistent results. Cairo Santos (Tulane) was pivotal for Chicago in a 24-20 win over the Giants, hitting his lone field goal and all three extra points for six total points. Thomas Morstead (SMU) averaged 43.5 yards on two punts for San Francisco, pinning both inside the 20.
Click here for a complete list of the 84 former CUSA players featured on NFL rosters for the 2025 season.