Pittsburgh Steelers rookie linebacker Alex Highsmith found himself in an unenviable position this season when he had to replace Bud Dupree. When Dupree ripped his ACL, Highsmith was pushed into a starting role and no player wants to be the guy replacing the guy.
Being 100 percent fair, Highsmith’s play in his first three NFL starts was about what you’d expect from a rookie entering the league with some questions about his technique and level of competition.
But on Sunday against the Indianapolis Colts, Highsmith’s game took a big step forward. When we went back and watched the game again, it was nice to see Highsmith use different pass rush moves while at the same time dealing with a team working hard to run the football. Against the Cincinnati Bengals, Highsmith made some costly misinterpretations of run plays and seemed lost at times.
Highsmith closed the game with a total of seven tackles and two quarterback hits. He hasn’t landed a sack since he took the starting place, but you can see him getting closer. Highsmith played with a lot of energy and while he may never be the player Dupree is, it was great to see his game take it one step further on Sunday.