For the Pittsburgh Steelers in 2021, the team faced a lot of adversity in almost every aspect. As Steelers fans, this is something we’ve grown used to and expect going into every season. But with that said, this adversity opens doors for any player who sees an uptick in play-time as a result, no matter their age or depth chart position. Alex Highsmith was no stranger to that and took a major leap forward in his second season in the NFL, especially when called upon in big moments.
Highsmith was drafted by the Steelers in the 3rd round in the 2020 NFL Draft with intentions of him being the Bud Dupree-replacement at outside linebacker. After seeing what opposite outside linebacker TJ Watt can do with an effective pass rusher on the other side of the line, the Steelers sought out Highsmith to be that true “day one starter” and he was exactly that. In 2020, Highsmith posted a modest stat line consisting of an interception, 2 sacks, and 48 total tackles. In the off-season leading up to the 2021 campaign, Highsmith made a conscious effort in building on his rookie year and making a larger impact on defense. This included intense workout regimens in Cornelius, North Carolina and coming into his second training camp in peak physical condition. As we saw in 2021, this definitely showed on the field. Highsmith proved no signs of a “sophomore-slump” and posted an impressive stat line of 6 sacks, a forced fumble, 74 total tackles, 15 tackles for loss, and 15 hits on opposing quarterbacks. For reference, Highsmith posted more sacks than Buffalo Bills’ big defensive tackle Ed Oliver, giant nose tackle for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Vita Vea, and 6-time Pro Bowl Philadelphia Eagles’ defensive tackle Fletcher Cox. Looking back on this season, how does Highsmith think he performed? Well, he explained:
“This year was a year I definitely grew. It’s not the year that I wanted to have, I know I can always do better, no matter how good I do, I know that I can always do better but overall from just a mental standpoint and physical standpoint, I feel like I grew a lot this year and with this being my first starting year and a starting role I feel like I did take a jump, but at the same time I want to take even a bigger jump coming into year 3 and I know I can be a lot better than I was, so I’m excited for the offseason ahead and just working to be the best that I can be in year 3.”
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It shouldn’t come as a shock to hear Highsmith emphasize continued improvement year-over-year as he looks towards his third season. Highsmith entered the 2021 season with a goal of double-digit sacks; that didn’t happen. So, what goals is Highsmith setting for 2022 and what steps are going to get him there? He explained:
“I think I’ll have some of the same goals as I did this year. For me, its just really working on finishing, my coaches really emphasized to me finishing at the top of my rushes. There were so many plays and so many rushes where I was right by the quarterback, but just didn’t finish, whether he stepped up or an offensive lineman was still on me, so just really working on things like that, to help me finish my rushes, to be able to reach that double-digit sack point is going to be an emphasis for me and my training this year.”
As far as the steps he is taking this off-season to achieve those goals, Highsmith talked some about his plans leading up to training camp:
“I’m going to be in Charlotte (North Carolina) for the majority of my training this off-season, so I’ve got a good training regimen down there, good trainer, just getting in a good flow down there. Last year I feel like I had my best off-season and I feel like I came into camp in great shape, the best shape of my life, so I think that’s going to be a home base for me in the off-season,” he said. “I’m going to try to get in some work with TJ some time over the off-season as well and with some other pass rushers as well.”
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Of course when you think of the current Steelers’ defense, one of the first names you think of is Watt; and rightfully so. Watt is coming off another historic and “DPOY-esque” season. Fans see what Watt brings to the field each week, but what about to the locker room and the weekly game preparation? Highsmith talked a bit about what he’s learned from Watt in how to prepare for opposing offenses:
“Something I’ve always learned from him is watching the live TV copies before games to get the cadence for the opposing teams, so that’s something I did a lot this year. We would always talk about it in meetings, talk about the different cadence, talk about what’s the hard count, talk about what’s on who, so that’s something that helped me a lot, especially with away games this year, to be able to work on my get-off, to be able to get off the ball faster, so I definitely felt the translation for it, as I would feel like I’m getting off the ball a lot faster than I was last year, so that’s something I look forward to continuing to improve on.”
Watt is a player who elevates the other players around him. As Highsmith makes the turn into his third season, there is no reason to believe he won’t come into 2022 ready to take that next step and elevate his production on defense. Highsmith was one of the most under-the-radar contributors to this year’s defense, and he’s going to continue making a name for himself next season. He’s going to be a player offenses game-prep for in 2022 and Steeler Nation has every reason to believe he’ll reach his double-digit sack total goal next season.
How do you think Highsmith did this season? What do you think his sack total will be in 2022? Let us know in the comments below!
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