The Pittsburgh Steelers have a long history of standout preseason pass-rushers who do not develop into significant contributors over the course of their careers. From Adrian Robinson to Jamir Jones, with some draft picks mixed in between, their lack of growth into role players is one of the key reasons the team has lacked quality depth off the edge for a long time.
Rookie fourth-round pick Nick Herbig is going to change that. Or at least he looks like it. While not quite a diamond in the rough as a mid-round selection, there were nevertheless questions going into his first offseason about how effective he could be. Then he dominated training camp and recorded more sacks than games played in the preseason.
But so did others in the past, or at least they came close to it. Olasunkanmi Adeniyi and Tuzar Skipper. Howard Jones. The aforementioned Jones and Robinson. I’m sure there are others I’m forgetting. There hasn’t been a day-three draft pick at the position to pan out in a long time.
Not sixth-rounder Anthony Chickillo. Not fifth-rounder Chris Carter. Not fourth-rounder Thaddeus Gibson. Quincy Roche? He is about to be waived for the second time. Sutton Smith ended up converting to fullback. Keion Adams never made the roster. Travis Feeney ended up having success in summer leagues, eventually.
That’s every single day-three pass rusher Mike Tomlin ever drafted. None of them were what I would describe as a good depth rotational spot starter. Outside of the half a season of Melvin Ingram and Arthur Moats and backups, usually with pedigree, who became starters, Pittsburgh has frequently lacked quality depth at this spot because of a lack of satisfactory development.
Now, to be sure, they’ve had a good rotation before—with guys like Arthur Moats and James Harrison, and with high draft picks like Bud Dupree and Alex Highsmith. But can you even name the last edge rusher they’ve added in the fourth round or later, or via rookie free agency, who actually made a lasting positive impression in games that counted? I mean, do we have to go back to James Harrison himself?
Herbig looks like he is going to break that long streak of futility. Yes, he is a higher draft pick than everybody discussed here except for Gibson all the way back in 2010, and that is to be taken into account, but fourth-round picks are no guarantees, either. And it goes without saying that he still has a lot to prove in games that count.
But I sure feel confident that he will. And I’ll tell you exactly why. Because he’s a lot more like Alex Highsmith, their third-round pick in 2020 who is now a starter and borderline Pro Bowler, than all the others combined.
While he might lack ideal size, he has fantastic athleticism and all the intangibles you could possibly want. More importantly, he is a football junkie who has the drive, intelligence, and ability to possess the most essential tool in an edge rusher’s repertoire: a pass-rush plan.
Highsmith came into the league from a small school with relatively minimal collegiate production with a good head on his shoulders. Yes, he’s talented. Yes, he’s physically gifted. But he succeeded because he already understood what was required to win at this level. He had and continues to add to his pass-rush arsenal, and he understood how to formulate a plan.
Herbig has been getting coached on these things from T.J. Watt, a fellow Wisconsin alumnus, for years, so it’s no surprise he’s known the drill before he got here. Now he’s learning from both of those great linebackers. And he’s showing to be a more than willing student who already knows the material.
That’s why Herbig is going to be the depth pass rusher who finally succeeds in Pittsburgh. Or at least it’s why I’m confident that will be the case.
