The full breakdown
Highsmith's grade was weighed down primarily by a 47 run defense facet where he struggled to hold up at the point of attack across nine run snaps. He was repeatedly displaced by Orlando Brown, notably getting washed wide on a 12-yard run in Q1 (12:25) and sealed on a third-down conversion late in Q2 (00:43). Tight end Drew Sample also reached and sealed him inside to spring a 13-yard rush in Q3 (14:17). While Highsmith did show power with a hit on Joe Burrow in Q3 (13:11), a largely quiet 34 pass-rush snaps (62 facet grade) could not offset his run defense deficiencies.
Strengths
- Power counter rushing inside
- Occasional edge discipline forcing runs inside
Weaknesses
- Maintaining edge contain
- Disengaging from Orlando Brown's reach blocks
- Surrendering the perimeter to tight end blocks