3 reasons Steelers EDGE Nick Herbig is worth the hype

Nick Hergig has been a trending name since his dominant performance in the Pittsburgh Steelers preseason opener against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Many questioned if the undersized pass rushers would be able to hold up at his size, but he strung together a thoroughly impressive showing in his first-ever game in a Steelers uniform.

Now fans are wondering if the hype surrounding Herbig is legitimate or if he will soon be a player lost in the shadows when the NFL season rolls around. Though his size is still a bit concerning, there are three reasons why Steelers fans should be buying all of the Nick Herbig hype.

3. Herbig had outstanding college production

College production can be both fluky and fabricated at times (ask Jarvis Jones). But that also doesn't mean we should throw it out the window altogether. During his time at Wisconsin, Herbig had remarkable production for the Badgers.

Over three years, Herbig recorded 134 tackles, 36.0 tackles for a loss, and 21.0 sacks to go with 4 forced fumbles, according to Sports Reference. During his final year in 2022, Herbig managed an insane 15.5 TFLs and 11.0 sacks in just 11 games played.

This production came despite the fact that he turned just 21 years old late in his final college season and chose not to return for a senior year before declaring for the NFL Draft. We obviously know that there's not a direct correlation between college production and success in the NFL.

Some players who aren't productive at the collegiate level end up changing that in the pros. At the same time, Herbig has clearly shown the ability to get after the quarterback often in the past.