The Steelers select OLB Alex Highsmith #102 overall

[86WARD]

Bradshaw jersey... hurt & retired within two seasons

Lloyd jersey... hurt within two seasons

Kirkland jersey... gone within two seasons

Zereoue jersey... gone within two seasons

Got my kid a Polamalu jersey... gone within two seasons

Got my kid a Heeeeath jersey... gone within two seasons

Got my kid an AB jersey... went crazy within two seasons

Got my kid a Villanueva jersey... the Flag incident

SUMMATION:
No way!!!

BUY RETIRED PLAYERS JERSEYS!!!!

For fucksake teegre! You’re smarter than this!!!!!

[teegre]

BUY RETIRED PLAYERS JERSEYS!!!!

For fucksake teegre! You’re smarter than this!!!!!

I thought about that... but, I’m afraid that the retired player might pass away!!!

[Six Rings]

I dunno, there were some really good players the board. Highsmith could be small school pass rushers about to meet NFL takes. He did well vs Clemson. He tries hard. We'll see.

[teegre]

I dunno, there were some really good players the board. Highsmith could be small school pass rushers about to meet NFL takes. He did well vs Clemson. He tries hard. We'll see.

A few years ago, I heard Merril Hoge say the following:

“Khalil Mack is a player. His level of competition doesn’t matter. He. Can. Play. Jerry Rice played at a small school. Walter Payton played at a small school. Randy Moss played at a small school. Ben Roethlisberger played around a small school. ”

Alex Highsmith... played at a small school.

[pczach]

I dunno, there were some really good players the board. Highsmith could be small school pass rushers about to meet NFL takes. He did well vs Clemson. He tries hard. We'll see.

Nothing is guaranteed in the draft. We won't know about any of these players until we start seeing what they can do on an NFL field against competition at the next level. Even then, it usually takes a couple years to really know what you have and what their ceilings are.

[st33lersguy]

I just saw his Clemson tape, I can see he needs to bulk up, but I loved his motor and he FLEW OFF the snap multiple times. He kept coming after them. Also I noticed they tended to run away from him more often than towards him

[stillers4me]

Grandma is happy. We have an awesome new Steelers fan.

[teegre]

Grandma is happy. We have an awesome new Steelers fan.

Go, Grammy!!!... it’s your birthday... put your hands up...

[polamalubeast]

[JnK]

A few years ago, I heard Merril Hoge say the following:

“Khalil Mack is a player. His level of competition doesn’t matter. He. Can. Play. Jerry Rice played at a small school. Walter Payton played at a small school. Randy Moss played at a small school. Ben Roethlisberger played around a small school. ”

Alex Highsmith... played at a small school.

Greg Lloyd played at a small school.

[86WARD]

Kent State isn’t all that big either. Bigger than Marshall but smaller than USC, Michigan or Michigan State and a whole lot smaller than Penn State.

[Born2Steel]

UCF is not a small school. Houston is not a small school. Yet players coming from either would be considered a small school player. Student population-wise they are as big as any SEC school. Position-wise a school size may make no difference. WR or RB for instance. If I'm looking for the best OL in the draft I'm looking Power5 first though. Defensive players or offensive weapons can come from any school or other country. Taysom Hill was a 26 year old rookie due to doing his church mission prior to college. He was originally going to Stanford(7000 students) but ended up at BYU(31,000 students). Either way he is the same player but does he get more football 'street cred' from being QB at Stanford or BYU? (BTW, Hill's NFL stats suck as a QB)

[DesertSteel]

Kent State isn’t all that big either. Bigger than Marshall but smaller than USC, Michigan or Michigan State and a whole lot smaller than Penn State.

Kent State has a little larger enrollment but Marshall's football program is much bigger than KS. MU has had several top 25 finishes and 3 Heisman trophy finalists in the past 20+ years.

[86WARD]

Kent State has a little larger enrollment but Marshall's football program is much bigger than KS. MU has had several top 25 finishes and 3 Heisman trophy finalists in the past 20+ years.

Right. So furthers the point that Jack Lambert, Julian Edelman and James Harrison are also all “small school” kids...

[teegre]

Right. So furthers the point that Jack Lambert, Julian Edelman and James Harrison are also all “small school” kids...

Besides a cumulative 9 Super Bowl victories, 12 Super Bowl appearances, 14 Pro Bowls, 8 All Pro honors, 4 second-team All Pro honors, two DPOY awards, a Rookie of the Year award, and a Super Bowl MVP... what have they ever done!?!

[86WARD]

Besides a cumulative 9 Super Bowl victories, 12 Super Bowl appearances, 14 Pro Bowls, 8 All Pro honors, 4 second-team All Pro honors, two DPOY awards, a Rookie of the Year award, and a Super Bowl MVP... what have they ever done!?!

Not enough...trash players! Just like the Steelers current QB situation. Should’ve traded them for Joe Burrow when they had the chance.

[polamalubeast]

Not enough...trash players! Just like the Steelers current QB situation. Should’ve traded them for Joe Burrow when they had the chance.

At least it's not too late ... Cam Newton is still available!

[Mojouw]

I'm sure I am not telling anyone they don't already know, but I spent the morning reading about Highsmith. Sweet googly moogly! Gets Carl Lawson and Yannick Nagouke comps and he lasted to #102? Looks like he could use an NFL weight room and a decent amount of work as a run defender BUT that bendyness around the edge? Can't teach that.

Long story short, this dude is gonna push someone off the roster. I know I am late to the party but I'm all aboard the Highsmith hype train - hope Teegre and others can make room!

[El-Gonzo Jackson]

I'm sure I am not telling anyone they don't already know, but I spent the morning reading about Highsmith. Sweet googly moogly! Gets Carl Lawson and Yannick Nagouke comps and he lasted to #102? Looks like he could use an NFL weight room and a decent amount of work as a run defender BUT that bendyness around the edge? Can't teach that.

Long story short, this dude is gonna push someone off the roster. I know I am late to the party but I'm all aboard the Highsmith hype train - hope Teegre and others can make room!

Welcome, I think there is lots of room as Highsmith wasn't a big name to most in the pre draft process. I am cautiously optimistic as he has decent quickness, hustle and uses his hands fairly well in the pass rush in addition to having a spin move counter to his outside rush. He doesn't always set the edge well, but he doesn't shy away from contact with the O lineman in the run game.

I watched the Bahamas Bowl with UNCC vs Buffalo and Highsmith didn't really have a good impact on that game. 3 tackles, 4 assists and 0 sacks was the statline, but he really didn't get upfield much in the pass rush and at times got pushed around in setting the edge. He also wasn't that impactful in the Shrine game, but again you can see his quickness, hand work and hustle/toughness. Rookie year is gonna be working towards getting in the rotation and playing special teams. Hopeful for his development.

[Mojouw]

Welcome, I think there is lots of room as Highsmith wasn't a big name to most in the pre draft process. I am cautiously optimistic as he has decent quickness, hustle and uses his hands fairly well in the pass rush in addition to having a spin move counter to his outside rush. He doesn't always set the edge well, but he doesn't shy away from contact with the O lineman in the run game.

I watched the Bahamas Bowl with UNCC vs Buffalo and Highsmith didn't really have a good impact on that game. 3 tackles, 4 assists and 0 sacks was the statline, but he really didn't get upfield much in the pass rush and at times got pushed around in setting the edge. He also wasn't that impactful in the Shrine game, but again you can see his quickness, hand work and hustle/toughness. Rookie year is gonna be working towards getting in the rotation and playing special teams. Hopeful for his development.

That is in line with alot of what I saw/read as well. Needs a "redshirt" year to learn his craft at an NFL level, but the raw physical tools are there. Many reports had previous coaches saying this kid just soaks stuff up - so maybe there is hope that as his above the neck game gets coached to an NFL level, there is a short time to bring that impact onto the field. No way of knowing for sure...but this is certainly more exciting of a small school prospect than Sutton Smith was!

[El-Gonzo Jackson]

That is in line with alot of what I saw/read as well. Needs a "redshirt" year to learn his craft at an NFL level, but the raw physical tools are there. Many reports had previous coaches saying this kid just soaks stuff up - so maybe there is hope that as his above the neck game gets coached to an NFL level, there is a short time to bring that impact onto the field. No way of knowing for sure...but this is certainly more exciting of a small school prospect than Sutton Smith was!

Yeah, if we say Bud Dupree had the size, speed, explosiveness(40 inch vertical)...but no great array of pass rush moves, that is accurate. Sutton Smith was 6'0", 233, 32" vertical and short arms, but quickness and good hand use...but he was gonna get thrown around like a rag doll by OT in the NFL and likely needed to shift to ILB.

Highsmith at 6'3" and approx. 250lbs fits the size bill. He has fairly long arms to help get to opposing blockers and what I liked when I saw was he has a quickness, timely hand swat to dip-and-rip around the edge, but also had a spin inside counter move that worked rather well. He has a motor on tape that is like Sutton Smith, but the size to do something with it that is likeable.

I likened Highsmith to Rob Ninkovich. A guy that can fill out and get say 6-8 sacks a year, but doesn't stand out as an explosive athlete like the elite pass rushers, but his spin move and dip around the edge are moves that Ninkovich never had.

[teegre]

@mojouw
There’s plenty of room. Hop aboard!!!

@El-Gonzo
Brian Baldinger posted a tweet of himself watching Highsmith. He counted five different pass-rush moves. Baldinger was like, “Holy crap!!!”

[El-Gonzo Jackson]

@mojouw
There’s plenty of room. Hop aboard!!!

@El-Gonzo
Brian Baldinger posted a tweet of himself watching Highsmith. He counted five different pass-rush moves. Baldinger was like, “Holy crap!!!”

Cool. I watched him in the bowl game and also read Lance Zeirline recap of him. I saw 1. the speed rush(dip and rip around the arc) 2. the Spin, counter move, 3. Bull rush (basic and not really effective) and 4. The "euro step". I'll trust that Baldy didn't count the Bull and might have even seen 2 more.

I agree, all the stuff of hands and footwork that Dupree didn't have when he got to the league are things that I see Highsmith having in his bag o tricks. Its good to see. I'm just a bit bummed that he didn't really light up guys on the Buffalo O line.

[86WARD]

@mojouw
There’s plenty of room. Hop aboard!!!

@El-Gonzo
Brian Baldinger posted a tweet of himself watching Highsmith. He counted five different pass-rush moves. Baldinger was like, “Holy crap!!!”

Do you have that tweet. I’m getting more and more excited about Highsmith everyday...

[El-Gonzo Jackson]

@mojouw
There’s plenty of room. Hop aboard!!!

@El-Gonzo
Brian Baldinger posted a tweet of himself watching Highsmith. He counted five different pass-rush moves. Baldinger was like, “Holy crap!!!”

@teegre Watch the 1:16 mark of this video and you see "the euro-step" move. As a pass rusher, after you run a guy around the arc and test him with your speed...you set him up with 2-steps. A left, right and that right foot plants as your next left is lateral and inside the gap you made because the OT is scared of getting beat to the edge. Sure hes been beating up this guy from ODU, but at least he has the moves.

Highsmith swims over, while I like the rip across the face of the OT. Still its a nice counter to the speed rush. Zeirline called it the euro step and I'm gonna steal that term, because it makes sense to anybody that plays or watches hoops.

[tube517]

@teegre Watch the 1:16 mark of this video and you see "the euro-step" move. As a pass rusher, after you run a guy around the arc and test him with your speed...you set him up with 2-steps. A left, right and that right foot plants as your next left is lateral and inside the gap you made because the OT is scared of getting beat to the edge. Sure hes been beating up this guy from ODU, but at least he has the moves.

Highsmith swims over, while I like the rip across the face of the OT. Still its a nice counter to the speed rush. Zeirline called it the euro step and I'm gonna steal that term, because it makes sense to anybody that plays or watches hoops.

Yeah that's a good term to use for that move - Eurostep.

[teegre]

Do you have that tweet. I’m getting more and more excited about Highsmith everyday...

I can try to find it... although, posting tweets isn’t my strength. stillers4me is excellent at finding and posting tweets.

- - - Updated - - -

@teegre Watch the 1:16 mark of this video and you see "the euro-step" move. As a pass rusher, after you run a guy around the arc and test him with your speed...you set him up with 2-steps. A left, right and that right foot plants as your next left is lateral and inside the gap you made because the OT is scared of getting beat to the edge. Sure hes been beating up this guy from ODU, but at least he has the moves.

Highsmith swims over, while I like the rip across the face of the OT. Still its a nice counter to the speed rush. Zeirline called it the euro step and I'm gonna steal that term, because it makes sense to anybody that plays or watches hoops.

Euro step is certainly a better name than the infamous dong step.

[El-Gonzo Jackson]

I can try to find it... although, posting tweets isn’t my strength. stillers4me is excellent at finding and posting tweets.

- - - Updated - - -



Euro step is certainly a better name than the infamous dong step.

True dat. Although, at 0:27 mark Highsmith gets what could be classified as a Dong Sack. Dongsmith!

[teegre]

True dat. Although, at 0:27 mark Highsmith gets what could be classified as a Dong Sack. Dongsmith!

More like Alex Lowsmith.

[pczach]

More like Alex Lowsmith.

He's already embracing the suck.