The Pittsburgh Steelers have some unique trends that not every team in the league shares. Among them -- and their worst-kept secret -- is that Mike Tomlin and the organization greatly value strong family bloodlines.
The proof is in the pudding. The Steelers were the first NFL team ever to have three different sets of brothers on the team all at the same time with the Watts, Edmunds, and Heywards. Just last year, Pittsburgh added Connor Heyward in the NFL Draft -- a move that many of us predicted would happen.
It's clear that this is something that is very important to them, and there's no reason to suggest that it no longer matters to Tomlin. It just so happens that the 2023 NFL Draft has three players with strong family ties that the Pittsburgh Steelers could very well target.
1. Steelers could target Joey Porter Jr.
This is the most obvious one, as Joey Porter Jr. is the son of former All-Pro outside linebacker, Joey Porter. As Porter Sr. was both a player and defensive assistant coach for the Steelers, so his presence was clearly valued within the organization.
What makes Porter Jr. the most frequently mocked player to the Steelers in the first round is the combination of his bloodlines, traits, and fit that lines up with a big need for Pittsburgh. Even after signing Patrick Peterson, the mean age of a Steelers cornerback in 2023 (based on the players who are currently on the team) is 29 years old. Tomlin knows that he needs to get younger, faster, and better at the position.
Porter certainly fits the bill as a physical boundary CB with an intense football demeanor. He already would have been on their radar if his name was 'Joe Schmo,' but his strong family bloodlines are the icing on the cake.
2. Steelers could target Nick Herbig
This one suddenly makes more sense than it potentially already did. In February at the 2023 NFL Scouting Combine, the Pittsburgh Steelers had a formal meeting with Wisconsin standout pass rusher, Nick Herbig. Ironically, this was weeks before free agency would kick off, and the team would sign his older brother, Nate Herbig.
In terms of stature and position, these two brothers are nothing alike. The newest Steelers OG Nate Herbig stands at nearly 6'4'' and 335 pounds, while Nick is a 6'2'', 240-pound edge defender for the Badgers. Though Nick is undersized with short arms for the position, Pittsburgh could easily look past that.
What Herbig lacks in size and power, he makes up for with elite quickness and bend with an array of pass-rush moves. This helped him earn a whopping 36 tackles for a loss and 21.0 sacks in just 31 games at Wisconsin.
Herbig decided to declare for the 2023 NFL Draft as an underclassman at 21 years old. Pittsburgh already loved Wisconsin defenders. Now they have even more reason to love Nick Herbig with his brother Nate on the team.
3. Steelers could target Shaka Heyward
This is a wildcard that a lot of fans might not know about. If you haven't followed college football or the NFL Draft closely, you may not have heard much about Shaka Heyward. As you've probably guessed, he's related to Cameron and Connor Heyward, but they are first cousins; not brothers.
Regardless, this could be enough to get the gears spinning for Mike Tomlin and Pittsburgh's front office. Shaka Heyward is a long-limbed off-ball linebacker for Duke who turned some heads at the NFL Combine when he measured in with 34'' arms and ran a 4.53 in the 40-yard dash.
So far this offseason, the Steelers have completely revamped their linebacker corps, as Myles Jack, Devin Bush, and Robert Spillane are all gone while Cole Holcomb and Elandon Roberts joined the team in free agency. This still leaves room for at least one more player via the NFL Draft.
Some believe that the Steelers will address the LB position early still, and if that's the case, the pick won't be Heyward. However, if they don't get one by day three, Pittsburgh may be able to snag Heyward toward the end of the draft.
It seems highly unlikely that the Pittsburgh Steelers could end up with both Nick Herbig and Shaka Heyward, or really even any combination of the two. However, Pittsburgh has already met with each of these three players once and the strong family bloodlines are going to make selecting them in the NFL Draft an even bigger possibility.