Kendrick Green wasn’t selected until late in the third round, but here’s why he could prove to be the Steelers best draft choice in 2021.
When the Steelers took Kendrick Green with their third-round selection in the 2021 NFL Draft, it caught me off guard a little. Despite center being arguably the biggest need on the team, Pittsburgh passed on Landon Dickerson in the first round, Creed Humphrey in the second, and Quinn Meinerz in the third to ultimately take the player they had their eyes set on.
After grinding more of Green’s tape, it’s not hard at all to see why the Steelers were attached to him. Though he doesn’t have the size of the other centers drafted above him, the Illinois product has terrific movement skills and the tenacity Pittsburgh covets at the position.
I really like Kendrick Green – so much so that I believe there’s a good chance he could prove to be the best draft choice the Steelers made this year. Here are three reasons why:
Longevity of a Steelers offensive lineman
Longevity in the NFL has to count for something. This is exactly the reason why I was not a huge fan of the Najee Harris selection in the first round. Though I do think that Harris is one of the best running backs to come out over the past three years, it’s hard to value a position that is used and abused as much as running backs are in the NFL. Even Le’Veon Bell had just three great seasons before his career fell off a cliff.
While Harris and Pat Freiermuth could prove to have long, successful NFL careers, an offensive lineman can outlast most positional groups in the league. Just take a look at this past generation with players Ramon Foster, Maurkice Pouncey, and Alejandro Villanueva. If Kendrick Green proves to be a quality starter (and he very well could), he could be the next Steelers offensive lineman that lasts well into his 30s.
Importance of position
I’m not going to pretend like center is the most important player on the football field just for the sake of argument. However, out of Pittsburgh’s top draft choices this year, you could certainly make the case that Green plays a more important position than Harris or Freiermuth.
Most of the great offenses around the NFL have a quality center and very good overall offensive lines. Though Green is still just one part of a five-man unit, he could give the Steelers a potential upgrade at the position. Over the past two seasons, Maurkice Pouncey’s play really took a step back – so much so that he became a liability in both run and pass situations.
Although slightly smaller, Green offers a similar skillset as Pouncey with his quick feet and ability to move in space. While still very raw, he has the traits that make him a perfect centerpiece for Matt Canada’s zone offense, and he will be used on the move often.
While elite tight ends can be absolute game-changers in the NFL, I don’t think the Steelers are getting that with Pat Freiermuth. In addition, running backs (even ones who are as good as Harris) are still dependent on the men upfront for them to do their jobs. Because of the positional value of a quality center, I think that Kendrick Green could be the best pick the Steelers made this year.
High-end athletic traits and demeanor Steelers covet
I touched on this a bit already, but it’s worth spending some time on. To be honest, center is a position that doesn’t require elite athletic traits. Let’s use Dallas’ Travis Frederick as an example. Despite earning a Relative Athletic Score in the 26th percentile, Frederick was utterly dominant – earning five straight Pro Bowls from 2014-2019 before retiring in the 2020 offseason.
However, these athletic traits become much more important when blocking for a wide zone team – something new offensive coordinator Matt Canada clearly wants to implement. When watching Green’s film, it’s easy to see his elite athletic traits jump off the screen. His 94th percentile 10-yard split and 99th percentile board jump match up with the quickness and exposition we see from the snap.
In addition, Kendrick Green has an absolute mean streak to his game – something we know full well that the Steelers covet. His physical demeanor and competitive nature leave Green unsatisfied unless he’s driving a defender into the turf each play. This high-effort, high-energy play is going to allow him to stick around for a long time in Pittsburgh.
Everyone is pointing to Najee Harris and Pat Freiermuth as pivotal pieces of the future, but Kendrick Green could outlast them all while proving to be the best draft choice the Steelers made this year. I have a feeling fans will be pleased with this selection soon enough.