The Steelers drafted a small-school edge defender in the third round of the 2020 NFL Draft. Here are my high-end, low-end, most likely pro comparisons for Alex Highsmith.
Alex Highsmith is a name that has fans intrigued. In just four years’ time, the former college walk-on at Charlotte not only became an All-American but ended up being a day-two selection in the NFL Draft. The Steelers have had luck with small-school players in the past. In fact, Javon Hargrave and Diontae Johnson are two recent examples of Pittsburgh going with non-Power 5 players in the third round.
Highsmith was incredibly productive at Charlotte, and as a senior, he wowed scouts with his array of moves on the field and eye-popping production (75 tackles, 21.5 tackles for loss, and 15.0 sacks). Fans are always interested to know good player comparisons for Steelers draft choices.
After careful examination, I have come up with a low-end, high-end, and most likely NFL comparison for Steelers edge defender, Alex Highsmith:
Low-end NFL comparison: Tim Williams
Tim Williams was a former third-round pick by the Ravens back in 2017. Though he did not share the same small-school experience prior to the draft, Williams was a very productive football player (16.0 tackles for loss, 9.0 sacks as a senior) at Alabama.
Williams tested as a very similar athlete to Highsmith, and while he provides plenty of speed around the edge, there are questions about whether or not he could hold up against the run at the NFL level.
Though Williams seemed like a steal in the third round at the time, he has gone on to do very little in his first three NFL seasons earning just 2.0 sacks and 0 starts in 20 games. He was cut by the Ravens last year and signed by the Packers. I certainly don’t wish this upon Highsmith, but there is a chance his floor is a player like Tim Williams.
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.
Most likely NFL comparison: Jeremiah Attaochu
This may not be the name you were hoping to hear for Alex Highsmith’s most likely comparison. There are probably many readers who really don’t know who Jeremiah Attaochu is. Though this would admittedly be a bit underwhelming, there are plenty of reasons to believe Highsmith’s most likely career path will be similar to Attaochu’s.
For starters, Attaochu was an extremely productive pass rusher coming out of Georgia Tech back in 2013. He earned 28.0 tackles for a loss and 22.5 sacks over his junior and senior seasons, and ultimately ended being drafted by the Chargers in the second round.
Attaochu and Highsmith are nearly identical in terms of height, weight, and length entering the league, and they both win in similar ways. In the NFL, Attaochu hasn’t quite lived up to the second-round hype, but he’s going on his 7th NFL season (albeit with his 3rd team), and he has earned 15.5 sacks and 25 tackles for a loss as a rotational pass rusher – something former Steeler Anthony Chickillo didn’t come close to doing in his first five seasons.
Obviously, fans are hoping for Highsmith to be Bud Dupree’s replacement on defense, but it’s important to remember where he was drafted (just five picks away from the 4th round) and to curb expectations a bit. However, Highsmith is an extremely dedicated worker who has enough tools and athleticism to succeed at the next level. Let’s hope he’s closer to Yannick Ngakoue than to Tim Williams.