No matter how you spin it, the Pittsburgh Steelers were banking on the depth of the offensive line in the 2021 NFL Draft.
Green would end up as their third-round pick, an interior offensive lineman out of Illinois.
The Steelers could have taken Creed Humphrey in the second round, who was pretty much regarded as the number two center in the class behind Landon Dickerson.
He had signed as a free agent with the Seattle Seahawks in 2020 before being traded to the Cincinnati Bengals, and was released earlier this year.
Hassenauer served as the team’s backup center last season in all but the first game of the season before Stefen Wisniewski was still healthy and on the roster.
“I want to go in there—I plan on trying to take the job right away”, he said.
One advantage that he clearly has over his competition is his athleticism, probably one of the most athletic offensive lineman to come out of the draft this year, or even in recent years.
It would be a major boon for the team if Green could immediately step in at center and play above the line, particularly if he can make a difference in the run-blocking department.