Steelers Rookie Grades: Dotson, not Claypool, atop the class

Alex Highsmith

Grade: B+

I really wanted to jump this grade, but while Alex Highsmith played extremely well down the stretch, his starting opportunities showed that he still needs a little more development before becoming a true sack artist like his counterpart in T.J. Watt. Luckily, he has a full offseason to add some more muscle and develop more of a pass-rushing skillset. This will be key, as he is penciled in as the starter next offseason with the likely departure of Bud Dupree.

Highsmith did well as a rookie, especially after taking over for Dupree after his injury in the middle of the year. While Highsmith only recorded two sacks, he was consistently beating the lineman that were trying to block him. This led to a lot of wins, but unfortunately not a lot of sacks. He needs to be able to get home a little more often, but that should come naturally as his strength and skill develop and translates to quicker wins.

While his grade is lower than Dotson’s right now, I genuinely believe that Highsmith will be the best player from this draft class (even better than the last rookie below). His play despite being a small school guy was impressive and deserves a lot of credit. This offseason will be huge for him as he can focus on getting stronger and developing a more refined skill set. Don’t be surprised to see him surge next year as a full-time starter.