The more you can do

But pre-draft assessments had projected Herbig as potentially a better fit inside in the NFL.

Draft analyst Dane Brugler of The Athletic rated Herbig, 6-foot-2, 240 pounds, as the No. 79 overall prospect and the fifth-best inside linebacker available.

“He has that ability,” Weidl continued. “He has a high football IQ. I think you saw a little bit there in playing on the line of scrimmage, his ability to get off and rush the passer and also his ability at ‘stack ‘backer’ to drop into coverage, the awareness he has. He is a high-energy, relentless football player, very physical.

“The one thing with Nick that jumps off is he’s always passing people to the ball, he’s looking for work. He makes plays. He’s capable of winning off the edge, he’s capable of winning in the rush game and he’s capable of making negative plays in the run game, so we’re excited.

“We saw him as a Steeler type of player and a Steeler type of person.”

Herbig shares those characteristics with former Wisconsin teammate Keeanu Benton, a second-round defensive lineman (49th overall) and a player the Steelers perceive as more than just a traditional nose tackle.