The Pittsburgh Steelers appear to have unearthed a budding star in Nick Herbig, their promising edge rusher. Drafted from Wisconsin in the fourth round of the 2023 NFL Draft, Herbig made an immediate impact in his rookie year, showcasing his talents whenever he took the field. His inaugural season saw him tally three sacks, two forced fumbles, a fumble recovery, and five tackles for loss.
Such impressive output did not go unnoticed, drawing praise from Connor Orr, who highlighted Herbig as one of the NFL’s most underrated players. Despite primarily serving in a rotational role and logging around 200 defensive snaps, Herbig managed to catch the attention of fans and analysts alike with his impactful plays.
“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
Looking ahead, Herbig’s role is expected to expand significantly in the upcoming season, positioning him as a potential cornerstone for the Steelers’ defense. His ability to disrupt offenses with his speed and agility, despite his seemingly slight build, underscores his effectiveness as an edge rusher.
