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Steelers Outlook: Pro comparisons for EDGE Alex Highsmith

By Tommy Jaggi

CHARLOTTE, NORTH CAROLINA - NOVEMBER 23: Alex Highsmith #5 of the Charlotte 49ers during the first half during their game against the Marshall Thundering Herd at Jerry Richardson Stadium on November 23, 2019 in Charlotte, North Carolina. (Photo by Jacob Kupferman/Getty Images)
CHARLOTTE, NORTH CAROLINA - NOVEMBER 23: Alex Highsmith #5 of the Charlotte 49ers during the first half during their game against the Marshall Thundering Herd at Jerry Richardson Stadium on November 23, 2019 in Charlotte, North Carolina. (Photo by Jacob Kupferman/Getty Images) /
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JACKSONVILLE, FLORIDA – DECEMBER 02: Yannick Ngakoue #91 of the Jacksonville Jaguars celebrates a defensive stop during the game against the Indianapolis Colts on December 02, 2018 in Jacksonville, Florida. (Photo by Sam Greenwood/Getty Images)
JACKSONVILLE, FLORIDA – DECEMBER 02: Yannick Ngakoue #91 of the Jacksonville Jaguars celebrates a defensive stop during the game against the Indianapolis Colts on December 02, 2018 in Jacksonville, Florida. (Photo by Sam Greenwood/Getty Images) /

High-end NFL comparison: Yannick Ngakoue

This might be a bit of a stretch, as Yannick Ngakoue is a former Pro Bowl edge defender and excellent football player. However, it’s not hard to draw comparisons between him and Steelers Alex Highsmith.

Ngakoue is another example of a former third-round pick, but this case turned out much better than it did with Tim Williams. Ngakoue came from a big football program at Maryland, but he was a productive college player who earned 14.5 tackles for a loss and 13.0 sacks as a junior in 2015.

Highsmith and Ngakoue have very similar size and athletic metrics, and when you put on Ngakoue’s college tape, it’s not hard to see why he’s a good high-end comparison for Highsmith.

Obviously, this would be the best-case scenario for Highsmith – the former college walk-on. But if his development goes perfectly, perhaps he could become a similar player to Yannick Ngakoue at the next level.

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