What each Steelers rookie will struggle with during 2021

Steelers Kendrick Green

Problem: Size

I have two main issues with the Kendrick Green pick for the Steelers. The one likely to be alleviated early on is the fact that he mostly played guard at Illinois. This means he will have to make the full-time switch to center during his rookie season, not an impossible task but certainly not an easy one. The real struggle for Green is his size, or more specifically, his lack of size.

Green is on the shorter side being under 6’2, and his arm span isn’t great. For starters, this really limits him to being a center at the next level, so if he can’t make that transition, he may not have a home in the NFL. As well, his shorter arms and statue don’t figure to help him as a pass protector. He can’t always make the first contact with defenders as a result, and it can lead to lost pass-rushing reps.

While Green benefits from a physical play style and good athleticism, his physical height will have to be something that he overcomes. It obviously isn’t something that he can change from this point on, so learning how to still be an effective lineman despite being smaller will be a must. If he can’t get past this size issue, it will be hard for him to ever ascend past a rotational interior lineman.