Nick Herbig does his best T.J. Watt impersonation in Steelers vs. Lions game

The Pittsburgh Steelers have something special going on when it comes to the outside linebacker position, and this time, I'm not talking about T.J. Watt or Alex Highsmith. Nick Herbig just played his second NFL preseason, but already he looks like a premier pass rusher in the making.

During Pittsburgh's preseason finale against the Detroit Lions, Herbig was all over quarterback Hendon Hooker. Early in the game, Herbig recorded three tackles, and two sacks while disrupting several other plays that resulted in sacks for his teammates.

By the end of the first quarter, the Steelers recorded four sacks as a team while holding the Lions to zero points on the board. This was largely due to Nick Herbig doing his best 'T.J. Watt' impersonation -- drawing attention from Detroit's offense and still finding a way to dominate.

Steelers have another start in the making with Nick Herbig

When the Steelers selected Nick Herbig in the fourth round of the 2023 NFL Draft, many analysts believed Pittsburgh was getting one of the biggest steals of the draft. Herbig was a superstar during his time at Wisconsin -- earning 30 tackles for a loss and 20 sacks in his final two seasons for the Badgers before declaring for the draft at just 20 years old.

It didn't take long for Herbig to leave his stamp in the pros.

Herbig lit up the preseason stage as a rookie in 2023 before recording three sacks, two forced fumbles, and five tackles for a loss in limited time during his first season with the Pittsburgh Steelers.

Now entering his second season, Herbig has been the most disruptive player in a Steelers uniform during the preseason. Before Mike Tomlin shut him down against the Lions, Herbig effortlessly raked in three sacks in limited action during the 2024 preseason.

With the outstanding play and progress of Nick Herbig, fans can rest easy knowing that, if Watt or Highsmith were to get banged up, they would be in good hands with an electrifying pass rusher. Herbig's remarkable play should cement his role as a pivotal rotational player on Pittsburgh's defense in 2024.