Pittsburgh Steelers rising midfielder Alex Highsmith was put in an unenviable position this season when he had to replace Bud Dupree. When Dupre tore up the AFC Champions League, Highsmith was pushed into the starting role and no player wanted to be the man to replace the man.

Honestly 100 percent, Highsmith’s playing during his first three NFL starts was pretty much what you’d expect from a rookie who came into the league with a few questions about his style and level of competition.

But on Sunday against the Indianapolis Colts, the Highsmith game took a big step forward. In stepping back and reviewing the game, it was nice to see Highsmith using a variety of swift passing moves while at the same time he had to deal with a team working hard to manage football. Against the Cincinnati Bengals, Highsmith erred with some costly mistakes in his running plays and seemed lost at times.

Highsmith finished the match with seven total tackles and two quarterback kicks. He hasn’t landed a sack since taking the starting point but you can see it approach. Highsmith played with such a high energy level and although he may never be Dupree, it was great to see his game take another step on Sunday.