The Steelers are inviting St. Louis Battlehawks center and All-XFL selection Mike Panasiuk to their rookie minicamp this weekend, according to Aaron Wilson of KPRC2.
Panasiuk is the second of two Battlehawks that will come to Pittsburgh’s rookie minicamp, joining the XFL’s leading receiver Hakeem Butler. He started all 10 games for the Battlehawks this season, showing out throughout the season in order to get the selection of All-XFL.
Coming out of Michigan State, however, Panasiuk was not a center, but rather a defensive tackle. So, he has switched sides of the ball and showcased the ability to do so in the XFL. Coming out of Michigan State in 2020, Panasiuk had stints in the NFL with the Carolina Panthers but tested the XFL waters.
Previously, the Steelers hosted him for visits on two previous occasions. So, there is clear interest here from the Steelers over time. After J.C. Hassenauer left for the New York Giants, the team seemingly is looking for someone to fill the void behind Mason Cole. They selected Spencer Anderson, who has experience there. During the undrafted free agent process, Trevor Downing joined the squad. In addition, James Daniels, Ryan McCollum, and Nate Herbig are all players on the roster that have experience as center-capable players.
The team’s rookie minicamp will run Friday and Saturday at UPMC Rooney Sports Complex on the South Side. After, the team will move towards OTAs and mandatory minicamp before heading to Latrobe in July for training camp as they ramp up towards the 2023 NFL season.
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