“Are you not entertained?”
That was the Instagram caption rookie outside linebacker Nick Herbig posted under a photo after his NFL debut last Friday for the Pittsburgh Steelers after recording two sacks in the 27-17 win over Tampa Bay.
Boy, were we all.
Herbig was the most impressive player in the preseason opener for each team, flashing some high-end pass rush moves to get to the quarterback on the night, showcasing his potential for the Steelers moving forward.
Former Steelers cornerback and current scout Ike Taylor is rather impressed, crediting Herbig’s get-off and overall speed off the edge, bringing some serious juice to the Steelers’ pass rush from a depth perspective.
“He has a first step like no other. He can get around, can go under; he has good agility,” Taylor told Bleav in Steelers co-host Mark Bergin in the latest episode of the podcast Monday. “He’s a point guard in open court playing against centers. And the centers are the left and right tackles…so just imagine how much of a mismatch he’s gonna be.”
While Herbig is on the smaller side, his agility scores were rather impressive.
That athleticism and overall explosiveness showed up right away in training camp and carried over into the preseason opener against the Buccaneers.
Without a doubt, Herbig was the best player on the field for the Steelers. The Wisconsin product won in a variety of ways off the edge and was a consistent force as a pass rusher, generating an 89.8 overall grade from Pro Football Focus in his NFL debut, including a 71.0 pass rush grade.
Herbig certainly got the job done in college, too, racking up 134 career tackles, 36.0 tackles for loss and 21.0 sacks during his time in Madison. That production led to first-team All-Big Ten and third-team All-American accolades as a junior in 2022.
His 15.5 tackles for a loss as a junior led the Big Ten and ranked 18th nationally. His 11.0 sacks in 2022 were the most in a Wisconsin single season since current New Orleans Saints linebacker Zack Baun recorded 12.5 in 2019.
That pass rush prowess showed up against the Buccaneers and has Taylor — and many others — impressed. Taylor knows what a good pass rusher looks like off the edge in Pittsburgh, and Herbig certainly has the look, especially with his agility.
He can win running the arc and can counter inside with good hand usage and speed. He showed both on Friday night, and he’s continuing to add to his already intriguing arsenal.
Moving forward, no matter if his role comes on defense or primarily on special teams, Herbig is on track to having a successful NFL career. He seems really willing to learn, and that motor can take someone a long way in the league. Couple that with his unique skill set for the position, and Herbig could wind up looking like a real value pick for the Steelers in the fourth round.
