Fourth round: Steelers again utilize family ties, select Herbig

The Steelers kicked off the third and final day of the 2023 NFL Draft by once again keeping it in the family.

With the 132nd overall pick in the draft, the Steelers selected edge rusher Nick Herbig out of Wisconsin, further solidifying the defensive side of the ball.

Herbig is the younger brother of the Steelers' new offensive lineman, Nate Herbig, who lobbied for him when he signed earlier this offseason.

"Me and him talked about this since we were little kids," Nick Herbig said Saturday via conference call. "We shared the same dream. We work out together. We do everything together. That's my best friend. I don't think blood could make us any closer.

"It's a dream come true to play with my brother. I couldn't ask for much more."

The Steelers have been known to employ sets of brothers in recent years. Coincidence or not, intentional or not, there is a precedent set. With Herbig now joining the Steelers, the team has two sets of brothers: Nate and Nick Herbig, and Cam and Connor Heyward.

However, Nick's relationship with Nate isn't the primary reason the Steelers went with the younger brother in the fourth round. He was a four-star recruit before he played three seasons with the Badgers. Over the course of his collegiate career, Nick Herbig started 31 games, racked up 137 tackles, 36 for loss, with 21 sacks and seven passes defended.

As a senior in 2022, he led the Badgers with 11.0 sacks and 15.5 TFLs while ranking sixth on the team with 47 total tackles. Herbig also led the nation averaging 1.0 sacks per game, and his 15.5 TFLs led the Big Ten and ranked 18th in the country. Herbig's performance earned him several accolades: First-team All-Big Ten (consensus), CBS Sports second-team All-American, Walter Camp second-team All-American, AFCA second-team All-American, and Associated Press third-team All-American.

At 6-2 and 240 pounds, he is a bit undersized to play on the edge in the NFL. He's got good speed, running a 4.65 40-yard dash at the Combine, and he has a knack for getting around blocks with his high motor and athleticism. There's been some questions regarding his role in the NFL as some experts believe he profiles more as an off-ball linebacker due to his size.

"I'm just thinking that they want me to come in a be a dog, and that's what I do," Herbig said. "Whatever they want me to do, I'm going to do it. 100 percent."

Steelers outside linebackers coach Denzel Martin said Herbig will start off playing primarily outside linebacker. That addresses the third edge rusher spot behind T.J. Watt and Alex Highsmith. Herbig said he believes he has the frame to add more weight if the Steelers ask him to do so, but it may not be necessary.

"If that's what they want to do," Martin said. "240 is good. Obviously, he could gain some weight. We could get with (Garrett Giemont) on that. That's a little bit above me. But I like him at his 240 weight, to be honest with you."

The Steelers initially traded away their fourth-round pick when they moved up three spots in the first round to select Broderick Jones. Omar Khan got back into the fourth round to make this pick by trading down in the third round, moving down 13 slots from the 80th overall pick while also acquiring the 132nd pick. The Steelers took Darnell Washington after moving to 93rd overall in the third round.

The Steelers have now selected multiple players from two different schools in this draft. Herbig joins Keenanu Benton from Wisconsin, and Broderick Jones and Darnell Washington both played at Georgia.