Pittsburgh Steelers OLB Alex Highsmith has been one of the best pass rushers in the league over the past two years, and his speed when getting to the quarterback has been one of the main reasons why. Since the beginning of 2022, Highsmith is third in the NFL in quickest time to pressure quarterbacks among EDGE rushers, according to NFL Next Gen Stats.
Highsmith’s time of 2.55 seconds is behind Jaelan Phillips of the Miami Dolphins (2.48 seconds) and the Philadelphia Eagles’ Josh Sweat (2.49 seconds), per Next Gen Stats. Myles Garrett, held sackless against Pittsburgh on Monday was fourth (2.57 seconds), while Dallas Cowboys EDGE Micah Parsons came in at fifth (2.61 seconds).
Highsmith’s 14.5 sacks last season would rank him the second-most prolific pass rusher on the list, but when including numbers from this year, he falls to third, behind Garrett and Parsons.
It’s clear that Highsmith has continued to evolve, having a breakout year last season before signing a contract extension to make him one of the highest-paid pass rushers in the league. He put the league on notice in Week Two against the Cleveland Browns, intercepting a pass and returning it for a touchdown on the first play from scrimmage before strip-sacking Deshaun Watson in the fourth quarter to set up a Steelers win.
Highsmith and T.J. Watt comprise one of the best pass-rushing duos in the league, and the two form the core of Pittsburgh’s defense. The more Highsmith continues to ascend, the better the Steelers defense is going to be. He’s been credited with 31 pressures over the past two seasons, and with three through the first two games this season, he’s well on his way to having another ultra-productive season.
The Steelers defense has to continue to work, and it has some inherent flaws right now, particularly when it comes to stopping the run. But until the offense proves it’ll figure things out, the defense is going to have to carry Pittsburgh. With the Las Vegas Raiders and Houston Texans, two mediocre offenses, up over the next two weeks, the defense has a chance to help lead the Steelers to a 3-1 start.
It’s going to be difficult, especially if the offense continues to struggle, but Watt and Highsmith have both shown they can change the complexion of the game with their ability to get to the quarterback. As a whole, the defense has to continue to step up and make plays, and we’ll see if the current group can stem the tide until DL Cameron Heyward returns from injury.
