The Pittsburgh Steelers appear to have discovered a future star in edge rusher Nick Herbig.
Drafted in the fourth round of the 2023 NFL Draft from Wisconsin, Herbig maximized his rookie year opportunities. He recorded three sacks, two forced fumbles, a fumble recovery, and five tackles for loss in his debut season.
Herbig’s performance earned him accolades from Connor Orr, who named the former Badger as one of the NFL’s most underrated players. “Mostly a rotational player, Herbig may have led the league last year in plays made where someone quickly pulls out their phone to Google: Who the hell is this guy? Herbig played mostly on special teams and logged roughly 200 total defensive snaps, but I’d argue that having a font of these skilled pass rushers and hybrid edge-type players is critical to what Mike Tomlin wants to do defensively and is a necessary insurance for the Steelers’ most valuable player, T.J. Watt. Herbig has really fast hands and showed well against big, physical offensive lines. Despite a (relatively) slender looking frame, he plays much larger than he really is and doesn’t shy away from physical contact. He had three sacks, five tackles for loss and three QB hits despite not starting a single game last year.” – Connor Orr, Sports Illustrated.
With more playing time anticipated this season, Herbig could become a future cornerstone for the Steelers.