Quietly, 3rd-round pick Alex Highsmith having a solid camp, Steelers coaches say

He’s the “other” high-profile rookie from a draft class that featured no first-round pick for the first time in more than a half century. And while second-rounder Chase Claypool seems to be receiving all the hype, third-round pick Alex Highsmith is earning praise from high-ranking Pittsburgh Steelers coaches.

Monday, it was coach Mike Tomlin who lumped Claypool together with Highsmith — a late bloomer in college who played at Charlotte of Conference USA — in “proving that they belong” in the NFL.

Tuesday, defensive coordinator Keith Butler concurred.

“Alex has really shown that he belongs in the NFL,” Butler said during a video conference call with media. “He belongs where we drafted him at.

“Do we really know that until we get him in live action? Probably not, but what we’ve seen him do here in practice and stuff like that is encouraging in terms of us putting him in and having enough confidence in him that when he goes in it won’t be a huge drop-off from those two other guys.”

The “other two guys” are the starting outside linebackers that Highsmith is pegged to back up as a rookie — one of whom is an All Pro (T.J. Watt) and the other the Steelers’ highest-paid defensive player (Bud Dupree at $15.8 million).

That alleviates some of the pressure off the 6-foot-4, 242-pound Highsmith to produce right away. Taken with the 102nd overall pick, Highsmith had 14 sacks as a senior to rank fourth in the country. With Dupree playing on the franchise-player tag and set to be an unrestricted free agent, ideally Highsmith will be groomed as his replacement in 2021.

In 2020, Highsmith’s ceiling is to beat out Ola Adeniyi and Tuzar Skipper to be the top backup at outside linebacker to Watt and Dupree.

“It’s going to take a little while for Alex to catch up with them, but I think he’s got a really good attitude for what we’ve asked him to do,” Butler said. “He’s a really good learner. You don’t have to tell him something two or three times. He usually gets it after the first time. I’ve always thought good defensive football players learn from their mistakes, and what I mean from that is they don’t repeat them. I think Alex is that type of guy. Hopefully as the year goes along, he will get better so that we won’t worry about trading him in and out and resting those guys.”

The Pittsburgh Steelers selected Alex Highsmith, a redshirt senior outside linebacker from Charlotte, with their compensatory pick, the No. 102 selection overall.https://t.co/wC4Se2L2R4

— Tribune-ReviewSports (@TribSports) April 25, 2020

Monday at practice, according to the official pool report, Highsmith got increased reps with Dupree nursing a hand injury. He got a pressure on Mason Rudolph during an 11-on-11 period. Tomlinsaid he is seeking to get Highsmith and Claypool more opportunities to shine during this unique training camp.

Tomlin said they are “guys who have had an opportunity to ascend and are taking advantage of it.”

“There are definitely different circumstances for us,” Highsmith said at the opening of camp, “not being able to do OTAs, not being able to have preseason games. But we’re just making the most of it and doing what I can day-to-day, week-to-week to help contribute to winning championship No. 7.”

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