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‘I Feel A Lot Better’: Kendrick Green More Comfortable Playing Center Now After Rookie Season Struggles

Coming out of college as a third-round pick in the 2021 NFL Draft, Kendrick Green was viewed — rather erroneously — as a ready-made center by the Pittsburgh Steelers, who needed a quick replacement for the retired Maurkice Pouncey.

Despite playing just four games at center in college at Illinois, Green was thrust into the starting lineup as a rookie in Ben Roethlisberger’s final season and had a rather poor season, which threw his career into a downward spiral.

Poor snaps, penalties, struggles with power and an overall curbing of his athleticism — his defining trait — led to some serious issues at the pivot in 2021.