Steelers rookie Alex Highsmith passes tests in 1st career start

Almost lost amid the short week, the bevy of injuries and the Pittsburgh Steelers’ first loss of the season was that the defense featured a player making his first NFL start last week. And with his status as a rookie mid-round pick from an unheralded college, Alex Highsmith by all indications acquitted himself quite well.

“I thought he was good,” defensive coordinator Keith Butler said of Highsmith’s efforts during a 23-17 loss to Washington on Monday. “I’ve never worried about Alex because … you tell him one time, and he’s got it. You don’t have to worry about him making mental mistakes or missed tackles.”

Days after outside linebacker Bud Dupree was lost for the season because of a torn ACL, Highsmith increased his career defensive snaps played total by about 50% in playing 60 against Washington. He managed five tackles (two solo) and was credited by Pro Football Focus as having four “pressures” among 42 pass-rushing snaps.

For context, that 9.5% rate of pressuring an opposing quarterback, over the full season for full-time pass-rushers, would rank tied for fourth in the NFL.

“He’s going to be better or get better the more and more he plays,” Butler said. “I’m glad we have him. I thought he did a good job for us last week.”

PFF’s subjective grading system thought highly of Highsmith. For the season, it rates him as the eighth-best edge rusher in the NFL among those who have played at least 160 snaps. It credits Highsmith as being tied for the second-best “run-stop percentage” among edge rushers in the NFL (11.3%) and also paints a favorable picture of Highsmith’s coverage abilities so far during his rookie season out of Conference USA program Charlotte.

Monday, though, the Steelers did not ask Highsmith to drop into coverage. This seemed intentional as a method of not overloading the rookie with information during his first extensive, down-in and down-out pro playing time.

“I just wanted to be the best I could be,” Highsmith said of his first career start. “I just went out there with a mindset of ‘next man up’ and a mentality to just go in there with the snaps and be as productive as I can be.

“I obviously set high standards for myself and I know I can be a lot better. So I’ll just continue to build every week and continue to get better. That’s the goal, just to help this team win, I have to fill in and just be my best self.”

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