If the start to his third NFL season is any indication, Pittsburgh Steelers outside linebacker Nick Herbig is a star in the making.
Introduced as the 12th starter Sunday ahead of the Steelers’ Week 6 matchup against the Cleveland Browns at Acrisure Stadium, Herbig lived up to it, sacking Browns rookie QB Dillon Gabriel twice. He also should have had an interception in the win, too.
Herbig leads the Steelers with 4.5 sacks and has 20 pressures on the season. He’s gone from a designated pass rusher into a bona fide starter, one who can play in all situations.
For former Steelers running back Merril Hoge, Herbig reminds him of another former Steelers linebacker.
“Well, I studied him at Wisconsin and actually, he was one of the guys that was on my list of players to look at. And I was like, the first guy he kind of reminded me of was Chad Brown. Now, just because see he played inside linebacker sometimes, too, in college. And so I always like a guy who has versatility because that’s not easy,” Hoge said of Herbig Tuesday on the 102.5 WDVE morning show, according to audio via DVE. “Like, people who play outside linebackers sometimes can’t play inside and vice versa. And he could do both, but he has an awesome motor.
“He’s got a great motor and then he’s developing, too, as a player.”
Though Brown was much bigger than Herbig at around 240 pounds, the athleticism is similar, and it’s an interesting comparison from Hoge. Brown played inside linebacker for the Steelers, and was a fearsome pass rusher on the famed Blitzburgh defense.
In college, Herbig played some inside linebacker, too, but made his mark as a standout pass rusher. Though there were questions about his size, Herbig has continued to put his head down and develop. He is a relentless player who has turned into one of the best pass rushers on the team.
Herbig has great speed and is beginning to develop great hand usage, too. It helps that he has the likes of T.J. Watt and Alex Highsmith to learn from, but Herbig has put in the time and effort to get better and it’s showing week after week.
Against the Browns, Herbig graded out at an elite 94.8 overall, generating six pressures. He simply couldn’t be blocked regarding of what side he was rushing from.
Hoge is seeing the development in full.
“If you’ve watched him when he was a rookie versus where he is now, just in his development, he’s better with his hands. He’s really quick, too,” Hoge added of Herbig. “He has great quickness, has hands and he has great instincts, too. He just has a real knack for how he rushes the quarterback. And I love his motor.
“He is relentless and you gotta have that type of guy. And when you do have that type of guy, it’s contagious.”
Since Herbig returned in Week 2 against Seattle after a preseason hamstring injury, Pittsburgh has been very good at getting to the quarterback. In the last three weeks alone, the Steelers have 17 sacks. They’re not just lining up and letting the likes of Herbig, Watt and Highsmith get after the QB either.
They’re scheming things up, moving guys around and confusing offensive lines and quarterbacks. They’re having a great deal of success with it. But when they need a play, Herbig seems to be the guy coming up and doing it. That’s a credit to his development and his skill set.
The sky appears to be the limit for the young player.
