5 Steelers players with soaring stock heading into the preseason finale

#2 - Nick Herbig

Judged him by his size, did you?

Nick Herbig is an edge linebacker, end of story. It's a welcome surprise to any and all who thought he'd bake in the oven to learn the inside backer position. He's showing a lethal first step, quick hands, and fantastic closing speed on the quarterback on the edge.

Herbig has 2.5 sacks and a forced fumble in the preseason so far. With the preseason finale coming up, Herbig will have even more opportunities to inflate those numbers.

Granted, he won't be called upon much once the regular season begins. Herbig is the fourth linebacker and won't be supplanting Marcus Golden for the third spot any time soon. He could rotate in from time to time, but Steeler fans should temper expectations a tad on his output as a rookie.

But shouldn't it have been a bit easier to see coming that Herbig would find success on the edge in Pittsburgh? T.J. Watt has taken Herbig under his wing. Both former Wisconsin Badgers and Watt having his own detractors coming into the league, it really should come as no surprise that the former Defensive Player of the Year would want to see this kid succeed.

"Micro-Watt" sounds diminishing, but the smaller of the two Badgers is learning from a great player and applying it all in real-time. His is a career to watch with great interest.