McCarthy declares for NFL draft, bypasses final season with Owls
The FAU Owls’ top pass rusher has his sights set on the NFL and won’t return to the program for the 2021 season.
Leighton McCarthy, who signed with the National Sports Agency, announced on social media Friday afternoon that he’s leaving Florida Atlantic with the hopes of landing on an NFL roster.
After making the move from defensive end to outside linebacker during the offseason, McCarthy was named to the All-Conference-USA second team after the 2020 season after leading the conference in sacks (nine) and tackles for loss (12.5).
“Two conference championships, three bowl games, a college degree and countless memories are things that I will take with me as I begin training for an opportunity to play at the next level,” McCarthy wrote in a statement on Instagram. “2020 showed me that you never know what is next. You have to find the way to do things you want to do.
“[Friday], I want to announce that my journey to make an NFL roster has begun. Thank you to everyone at FAU — my coaches, staff, professors and the [Band of Brothers] for making my time at FAU the best it could ever be.”
McCarthy ended his career at FAU with the second-most career sacks (20) and third-most quarterback
hurries (18) in program history. He finished his fiveyear career with the Owls with 161 tackles (78 solo) and 35 tackles for loss in 50 games played.
The Apopka native redshirted his true freshman season in 2016 after joining FAU from Wekiva High School. McCarthy recorded 52 tackles (nine for loss) and 4.5 sacks during his redshirt freshman season in 2017 en route to the Owls winning the C-USA title.
He recorded 39 tackles (three for loss) the following season before finishing the 2019 season with 10.5 tackles for loss and six sacks, with the Owls winning their second conference title during his tenure with the program.
McCarthy is the first defensive starter to announce they won’t return to FAU for 2021.
Linebacker Caliph Brice and cornerback Zyon Gilbert both recently stated that they’re going to return to FAU for next season.
Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the NCAA Division I board of directors voted in August to give all fall sport athletes “an additional year of eligibility and an additional year in which to complete it.”
FAU coach Willie Taggart previously said about 95 percent of the 21 combined seniors, redshirt seniors and graduate students on the team’s 2020 roster expressed interest in returning to the program for the 2021 season.