The Pittsburgh Steelers picked up a pair of defenders for the front and back ends of the defense in the second round of the 2023 NFL Draft, both of whom have flashed during training camp. Yet even more impressive perhaps then CB Joey Porter Jr. and DL Keeanu Benton has been OLB Nick Herbig, the fourth rounder out of Wisconsin.
That’s at least going by a pure results-based analysis, but on the whole, Herbig has really opened eyes with his pass-rush ability and has even gotten some offensive players talking about the difficulties of trying to block him. So is there something behind the hype?
“I think it’s real”, defensive coordinator Teryl Austin said of the rookie to 93.7 The Fan. “I think it’s real. We will find out once we get into the preseason. He’s shown that against all linemen, it doesn’t matter who are tackles are, first group, second group”.
Herbig exited Saturday’s practice with a hip flexor injury, which head coach Mike Tomlin said after practice was being evaluated. Prior to leaving, he got extensive work against the tight ends in the backs-on-‘backers drill with Zach Gentry and Darnell Washington, holding his own against both as he had been doing.
Though deemed by some in the pre-draft process as potentially being undersized to hold up on the edge at the NFL level, nothing has seemed to slow him down just yet, at least before the hip flexor injury. He still has to be tested in a preseason game, of course.
Not only has he had the benefit of entering the league with a college teammate in Benton, onto a roster with his brother in Nate, and with a mentor at his position in T.J. Watt, who is also a Wisconsin alumnus, he has the good fortune of having veteran Markus Golden to work with. Golden also came into the league with knocks against his size yet has carved out a long, productive career.
“When he’s running with Nick, those guys can help each other”, Austin said of the second-string duo. “He does his thing and helps that young guy grow. He’s been good for that room, and I really like that addition. I think it’s going to be a good factor for us”.
Prior to the draft, the Steelers’ top reserve outside linebacker was Quincy Roche. They then drafted Herbig and signed Golden as a veteran afterward, leaving Roche likely on the outside looking in by the time this process is over.
Their first preseason game will be on Friday against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. That will be the first opportunity for most of us who have not been in training camp to get an extended look at the newest members of the Black and Gold. Will Herbig be one of the young players who shows out?
