The Pittsburgh Steelers added valuable depth at the outside linebacker position this offseason, drafting Nick Herbig in the fourth round before signing veteran Markus Golden. Between Golden and Herbig, the Steelers should be in a much better spot this year than they were last year in the event of an injury, when they had to rely on trade acquisition Malik Reed and Jamir Jones. Herbig is already impressing a lot of veterans on the roster, including Golden.
“He is always in your ear trying to get help. Trying to see what he can do to get better. His pass rush is getting better and better, every day he is going hard. He has a bright future for sure. I love playing with him. He’s a young rookie that is ahead of his time,” Golden told 93.7 The Fan. “He’s a dawg. He’s got a dawg mentality. Anytime you can be a dawg and play in this time of defense, you can have some success.”
Josh Carney has already laid out why Golden could be the ideal mentor for Herbig, and it seems as if Herbig is making sure to listen to what Golden has to say and learn from the experienced outside linebacker. Golden is entering his 10th NFL season and has a lot of wisdom to offer, so for someone like Herbig, who has similarly sized arms as Golden, he’s a valuable resource as Herbig gets acquainted to the NFL.
Herbig came to the Steelers after a successful career at Wisconsin where he had 134 tackles and 22 sacks with the Badgers. While expected to move to off-ball linebacker due to his frame, Herbig’s quickness and motor has led to him being an early standout of Steelers camp. He’s even impressing fellow rookie Broderick Jones, who praised his speed and mental acuity.
“I feel like that’s what makes him good, just having that speed and the get-off that he has to get off the ball. The mental he has is crazy. I feel like he’s going to be a really good player,” Jones said via 93.7 The Fan.
With his speed and bend off the edge, Herbig could find himself being a contributor for Pittsburgh as soon as his rookie season on passing situations. That speed is rare for an outside linebacker, and Herbig plays like his hair is on fire, which could make him a real headache for an opposing tackle.
He has a prior connection with T.J. Watt given that they’re both Wisconsin alums, and it sound as if he isn’t exclusively relying on Watt as a mentor. Pittsburgh’s outside linebacker room has a lot of knowledge to share, and Herbig is wise to soak up as much as he can.
No matter if his role comes on defense or primarily on special teams, I have zero doubt that Herbig will find himself 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.
