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Leighton McCarthy Signs with the Bucs
5/1/2021 8:51:00 PM | Football
BOCA RATON, Fla. – Leighton McCarthy, who played four seasons for the Florida Atlantic University Owls, has agreed to a free agent contract with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, the 2021 Super Bowl champions.
With the signing completed, McCarthy will become the 52nd Owl to sign a professional football contract since 2004, an average of nearly three a season.
The 6-3, 220-pound linebacker came to FAU in 2016 and redshirted his first season. He then became an integral part of the Owls' defense as a member of the Conference USA All-Freshman team in 2017. The Owls won their first C-USA Championship, and Boca Raton Bowl, in that same season. His first three seasons, McCarthy worked as a defensive end, which included guiding FAU to its second C-USA title and second Boca Raton Bowl win in 2019. His final season as an Owl, McCarthy shifted into more of a linebacker role to fit into the defensive system. He garnered Second Team All-C-USA honors for his efforts.
McCarthy played in 50 collegiate games and accumulated 161 total tackles. His final two seasons he recorded double-digit tackles for loss and concluded his career with 35 TFLs for a total loss of 154 yards, which is tied for second among FAU career leaders. He tallied 20 career sacks for a loss of 127 yards, which ranks second among FAU's all-time sack leaders behind current NFL standout Trey Hendrickson. He added one interception, three pass defenses and two forced fumbles to his career totals.
With the signing completed, McCarthy will become the 52nd Owl to sign a professional football contract since 2004, an average of nearly three a season.
The 6-3, 220-pound linebacker came to FAU in 2016 and redshirted his first season. He then became an integral part of the Owls' defense as a member of the Conference USA All-Freshman team in 2017. The Owls won their first C-USA Championship, and Boca Raton Bowl, in that same season. His first three seasons, McCarthy worked as a defensive end, which included guiding FAU to its second C-USA title and second Boca Raton Bowl win in 2019. His final season as an Owl, McCarthy shifted into more of a linebacker role to fit into the defensive system. He garnered Second Team All-C-USA honors for his efforts.
McCarthy played in 50 collegiate games and accumulated 161 total tackles. His final two seasons he recorded double-digit tackles for loss and concluded his career with 35 TFLs for a total loss of 154 yards, which is tied for second among FAU career leaders. He tallied 20 career sacks for a loss of 127 yards, which ranks second among FAU's all-time sack leaders behind current NFL standout Trey Hendrickson. He added one interception, three pass defenses and two forced fumbles to his career totals.
Players Mentioned
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