Draft Profile: Alex Highsmith

April 25, 2020 /
  • Height: 6’3″
  • Weight: 248lb
  • College: Charlotte
  • Tape watched: Clemson (Only available tape)
  • NFL Comparison: Vic Beasley

Pros

  • First Step
    Highsmith is as explosive off the snap as they come in the 2020 draft class. He’s the first one off the ball for the Charlotte 49ers every single snap. His anticipation of snap counts is uncanny, and at times may get himself in trouble being offsides in the NFL. His combine matched his tape; an athlete that is oozing with athleticism and quick twitch traits.
  • Pass Rush Tools
    Highsmith offers a variety of pass rush moves. He has good bend around the corner to pair with his quick first-step. His pass rush plan centers around his speed and quickness, utilizing fast hands to keep tackles away from him. He rarely overpowered lineman with power moves.
This should look familiar to Steelers fans. T.J. Watt’s successful outside-in move for a sack.
Highsmith has good bend around the edge. He needs to become functionally stronger to avoid stumbling and letting the tackle recover by pushing him out of the play.
If this play doesn’t get you excited about Highsmith’s athleticism, nothing probably will.
  • Motor
    Alex Highsmith has no quit in his game. He is a no-nonsense, see ball – hit ball kind of player. He constantly chases down plays from behind, and even runs across the field to make plays. Highsmith is the perfect addition to a defense that has always preached playing to the whistle.
  • Play Recognition
    Highsmith shows good football I.Q. diagnosing plays and direction after snap. He is quick to get into position to make a play on the ball. Playing EDGE, he flies out to the perimeter to blow up screen plays, and gets out and sets the edge on outside zone runs.

Cons

  • Run Defense
    Highsmith’s size and strength limitation show up in the run game. Often times he gets caught in the wash of offensive line blocks and cant shed to make tackles. Teams successfully blocked him with inline tight ends and motion H-backs. He just needs to do a better job keeping hands off of him and shedding blocks at the point of attack. He gets in position properly, just needs to finish.
The tight end here kicks Highsmith out of the play. Highsmith struggles to get free and make the tackle.
Highsmith uses good patience to find the ball, and almost comes away with a big tackle.
Here is the upside and potential. Highsmith makes a great tackle for loss.
  • Finishing
    Much like Bud Dupree’s first four seasons, Highsmith is mere milliseconds away from adding four or five sacks to his season totals. If he can get stronger and more balance on the perimeter, Highsmith can stay on his track to the quarterback and shorten the time it takes to get there. He needs to continue to build onto his already impressive pass rush process.
  • Consistency
    For someone as important to his team and as explosive as Highsmith was, it’s no surprise to see him fade at the end of games. His burst and quick get-off disappears at times. When he gets tired he tends to play a wait-and-see approach with pass rushing, and goes with the flow of the quarterback instead of hammering the pocket. Highsmith should be able to gradually improve on this in the NFL behind Bud Dupree and T.J. Watt without the immediate need to contribute.

Overview

Alex Highsmith is exactly the type of high-upside pass rusher the Steelers needed to add to their already impressive group. He will offer the kind of athleticism and speed off the edge that Bud Dupree was drafted to do. While undersized, Highsmith wins with his snap anticipation and elite first step. He is best used as a stand-up 3-4 outside linebacker where he can focus on getting after the quarterback.

A year of development will do Highsmith well. He can be a great rotational edge rusher to spell the likes of Watt and Dupree, helping preserve energy for critical downs. Overall, Highsmith could be a great roll of the dice if he can get stronger and dominate in more than one way on defense. Either way, he is a great pass rusher with great value for a compensatory third round pick. He has the upside to be a 10+ sack guy in the NFL.

The Steelers are counting on him to become the complete player Bud Dupree has started to showcase, especially if they fail to resign him next year.