Steelers fans were surprised when the team went with Kendrick Green, but here’s why he might be better than the other centers we were hoping for.
Center was a position that was high on Pittsburgh’s radar entering the NFL Draft. After losing Maurkice Pouncey to retirement and only bringing in veteran backup B.J. Finney to help replace him, many Steelers fans thought the team could potentially target the center position as early as the first round.
There were several quality prospects in this class that many of us had our eyes on. High-profile players like Alabama’s Landon Dickerson and Oklahoma’s Creed Humphry could have been considered as early as late in the first round, while Wisconsin-Whitewater’s Quinn Meinerz was considered the consensus third-best center entering the draft. Each of these three centers offered plenty of size to go with terrific athletic traits for their position.
However, despite their glaring need at the position, Pittsburgh passed up all three of these players in the first round, and two of the remaining three in the second round. I was in favor of taking Creed Humphrey with our second-round pick, but the Steelers elected to go with Penn State tight end, Pat Freiermuth.
In round three, small-school standout Quinn Meinerz was available to the Steelers in the third round. After looking very impressive against the nation’s best players during Senior Bowl week, many expected him to be long gone at this point in the draft, and it seemed like an easy selection for Pittsburgh when he was still on the board in the third round. However, It took me by surprise when the team opted for Illinois guard, Kendrick Green, in round three.
While Green didn’t seem like a conventional pick at the time, this selection makes more sense the deeper I continue to dive into the prospect and his perfect fit with the team.
Steelers will show they made the right decision
There’s a good chance that all three of Dickerson, Humphrey, and Meinerz turn out to be quality players in the NFL. However, that doesn’t necessarily mean that Pittsburgh made the wrong choice by passing on them. In addition to allowing the team to address other big offensive needs with their first two picks in the draft, Kendrick Green will have a chance to greatly outplay his draft stock.
Despite ESPN, Pro Football Reference, and the Steelers official website still listing Kendrick Green at 6’4” and 315 pounds, This couldn’t be more inaccurate. At his Illinois Pro Day, Green actually measured in at 6’1 7/8”, and 305 pounds. This puts him in just the 5th percentile for height at the center position, according to Mockdraftable.com.
Fortunately, center is the one position along the offensive line where there really is no minimum size thresholds to be a successful NFL player. Despite his squatty stature, the former Illinois guard has a chance to be a very good center for the Steelers. His compact frame packs a punch on impact, and his physicality from play to play is unmatched.
However, Green’s best trait is probably his mobility. Green tested as a terrific athlete – which is exactly what we see on tape. In fact, he is one of the best interior offensive linemen I have seen in years when it comes to blocking on the move. Green is lightning-quick out of his stance and can get to the second level with ease.
This is perhaps the most important trait for a center to have in Matt Canada’s new-look offense for the Pittsburgh Steelers. This year, the Steelers will be running more outside zone and their lineman will be required to reach block far more often than they did a season ago. This could have been the deciding factor in going with a player like Green over the other top centers in this class.
Though he may not have quite been on the same level as a prospect entering the NFL Draft, Green might be the best fit for the Steelers than any of them. Obviously, we will have to see how he progresses throughout training camp and into his first NFL season, but Kendrick Green certainly has the upside to make Steelers fans forget about the center they were really hoping for in the 2021 NFL Draft.