The Steelers selected Wisconsin linebacker Nick Herbig in the fourth round of the 2023 NFL Draft, the 132nd pick overall.
Herbig is the younger brother of Nate Herbig, the free agent guard the Steelers signed this offseason.
"I can't really explain it to you. I am at a loss for words," said Herbig. "It's all I've really dreamed about. Now I get a chance to play for the Steelers, a legendary organization. And I get the chance to play with my brother. That's all I could ever ask for. Me and him talked about this since we were little kids. We shared the same dream. We've worked out together. That is my best friend. I don't think blood could make us any closer. I am so happy to be here."
Herbig said he and his brother played together when they were kids, as young as second and sixth grade, but not at a higher level.
Now, though, it's all changed.
"It's the right place for me," said Herbig, who is expected to play outside. "It's exactly where I need to be. They want me to come in and be a dawg. That is what I do. Whatever they ask me to do I am going to come in and do it."
Herbig said when he saw the 412 area code on his phone it was emotional.
"I saw my phone ring, Pittsburgh, Pa. I thought no way," said Herbig. "I just started crying. I couldn't hold it in.
It was a flood of emotions, I know how hard my brother works. I know how hard I work. Just to see the fruits of our labors come full circle is crazy.
"The Steelers are everything I am about. Faith, family and football. It all felt right."
Herbig was a first-team All-Big Ten selection in 2022, as well as a CBS Sports second-team All-American and Walter Camp second-team All-America selection. In addition, Herbig was an Associated Press third-team All-American.
"I am excited to get to work with him," said outside linebackers coach Denzel Martin. "Looking forward to it. Right now, he will be at outside linebacker. That is where we have him. He is athletic enough (to move around) but we're going to start him at outside backer and try to make a big-time player out of him."
Honors and Awards
2022 Season: First-team All-Big Ten (Consensus), CBS Sports second team All-American, Walter Camp second team All-American, AFCA second team All-American, AP third team All-American
2022 Preseason: First-team All-American (Phil Steele)
2021: Academic All-Big Ten
2022 Season: Played in 11 games, all starts … led the Badgers with 11.0 sacks and 15.5 TFLs while ranking 6th on the team in total tackles (47) … led the nation with 1.0 sacks per game … his 15.5 TFLs led the Big Ten and ranked 18th in the country … his 1.0 sacks per game were the most for a Badger since Tarek Saleh in 1996 … his 11.0 sacks were the most in a single season for UW since Zack Baun recorded 12.5 in 2019 … began the season with a 2.0-sack performance vs. Illinois State (9/3) … recorded sacks vs. Washington State (9/10) and New Mexico State (9/17) … registered seven solo tackles and a sack at Northwestern (10/8) … totaled 3.0 TFLs and 2.0 sacks vs. Maryland (11/5) … was dominant at Iowa (11/12), totaling 3.0 sacks, eight tackles and a forced fumble
Take a look at photos of Pittsburgh Steelers 4th round pick, LB Nick Herbig
Wisconsin's Nick Herbig (19) sacks Illinois State's Zack Annexstad (5) during the first half of an NCAA college football game Saturday, Sept. 3, 2022 in Madison, Wis. (AP Photo/Aaron Gash)
Wisconsin linebacker Nick Herbig celebrates forcing a fumble that Wisconsin recovered during the first half of an NCAA college football game against Iowa Saturday, Oct. 30, 2021, in Madison, Wis. (AP Photo/Andy Manis)
Wisconsin linebacker Nick Herbig (19) tackles Minnesota running back Mohamed Ibrahim (24) during the first half of an NCAA college football game Saturday, Dec. 19, 2020, in Madison, Wis. (AP Photo/Andy Manis)
Wisconsin linebacker Nick Herbig (19) celebrates after forcing a fumble against Iowa that Wisconsin recovered during the first half of an NCAA college football game Saturday, Oct. 30, 2021, in Madison, Wis. (AP Photo/Andy Manis)
Wisconsin linebacker Nick Herbig runs up field during the second half of an NCAA college football game against Iowa, Saturday, Nov. 12, 2022, in Iowa City, Iowa. Iowa won 24-10. (AP Photo/Charlie Neibergall)
Iowa wide receiver Diante Vines (0) tries to break a tackle by Wisconsin linebacker Nick Herbig (19) after catching a pass during the first half of an NCAA college football game, Saturday, Nov. 12, 2022, in Iowa City, Iowa. (AP Photo/Charlie Neibergall)
FILE - In this Dec. 19, 2020, file photo, Wisconsin linebacker Nick Herbig (19) tackles Minnesota running back Mohamed Ibrahim (24) during the first half of an NCAA college football game in Madison, Wis. Wisconsin faces Penn State on Saturday as they open their college football season. (AP Photo/Andy Manis, File)
Penn State's Noah Cain gets past Wisconsin's Nick Herbig during the second half of an NCAA college football game Saturday, Sept. 4, 2021, in Madison, Wis. Penn State won 16-10. (AP Photo/Morry Gash)
Wisconsin linebacker Nick Herbig stops Nebraska quarterback Adrian Martinez (2) during the first half of an NCAA college football game Saturday, Nov. 20, 2021, in Madison, Wis. (AP Photo/Andy Manis)
Wisconsin linebacker Nick Herbig gets set for a play during the second half of an NCAA college football game against Iowa, Saturday, Nov. 12, 2022, in Iowa City, Iowa. Iowa won 24-10. (AP Photo/Charlie Neibergall)
2021 Season: Earned second letter after starting all 13 games ... led the Badgers and ranked 4th in the Big Ten with 9.0 sacks ... also ranked 7th in the Big Ten with 14.5 tackles for loss ... 3rd on the Badgers with 64 total tackles ... also broke up 4 passes, forced 2 fumbles and recovered a fumble ... had the highest pass rush win rate among Big Ten edge rushers according to PFF (27.3%) ... according to PFF, had the highest single-season pass rush grade by a UW edge rusher at 91.4 (better than Joe Schobert - 91.3 in 2015 and T.J. Watt - 91.0 in 2016) ... had 6 tackles and 2.5 sacks in win over Iowa ... 7 tackles and 2.0 sacks in Las Vegas Bowl win over Arizona State
2020 Season: Earned first letter after making 7 starts at outside linebacker ... had 26 total tackles, 6.0 TFLs, 1.0 sacks and a forced fumble in his rookie season ... in his first UW start, had 1.0 sack and pass breakup against Illinois on Oct. 23 ... had 5 tackles and 3.0 TFL at Michigan on Nov. 14 ... tallied 3 tackles and 1.0 TFLs at Northwestern on Nov. 21 ... forced a fumble and added 2 tackles against Indiana on Dec. 5 ... posted 4 tackles and 1.0 TFL at Iowa on Dec. 12 ... collected career-best 7 tackles against Minnesota on Dec. 19 ... had 4 tackles vs. Wake Forest in the Duke's Mayo Bowl on Dec. 30
High School: Four-star recruit by 247 Sports, ESPN and Rivals … All-Hawaii Open Division Defensive Player of the Year as a senior in 2019 … earned invitation to 2020 Polynesian Bowl … two-time all-state selection … led Saint Louis School to four-consecutive Open Division state championships … also played basketball in high school … coach was Cal Lee
Personal: Parents are Robyn and Bruce Herbig ... has two brothers, Jake and Nate ... brother Nate played football at Stanford and is current a guard for the Pittsburgh Steelers
