Marshall edge rusher Mike Green gained notoriety around his early-season performances against Virginia Tech and Ohio State. Did the Sun Belt edge defender flash enough high-end ability to garner Day 1 2025 NFL Draft capital?
Mike Green Profile and Measurements
Height: 6040
Weight: 235
Position: EDGE
School: Marshall
Current Year: Redshirt Sophomore
Mike Green Scouting Report
Strengths
- Conspicuously explosive first step
- Nice wipe and dip move from left side
- Hit multiple times vs. Virginia Tech, Ohio State, and Louisiana
- Can turn corner quickly with bend
- Incredibly impressive reactionary bend and change of direction to plant and pursue
- Nice flashes of extension vs. run
- Explosive spin vs. OSU RT on 3rd-and-20
- Stepped inside shoulder and planted to arc
- Spun off contact
- Active hands to continue to fight past first contact
- Intentional read option defender focused on his assignment
- Impressive manipulation of OT footwork to cross over inside with varied faked outside attacks
- Gains so much width on dead leg to cross face
- Synchronizes hands well to win through shoulder
- Disruptive run defender
Weaknesses
- Does not (yet) have the density or play strength to be a three-down player
- Easily displaced on the edge in run game despite violent intentions
- When momentum is against him, washouts are certain
- Often on the turf
- Swallowed and turned around by OSU OL in run game
- Pursuit speed doesn’t match rushing burst
- Much more capable from left than right side (of defense)
- Peripheral vision as run defender lacks
- Pad level swells quickly
- Struggles when fight’s brought to a phone booth
Summary and Draft Projection
Green will be one of the 2025 NFL Draft’s most polarizing prospects in an absolutely wide-open class. Some will see his pure pass-rush plan, bend, explosiveness, and agility and believe he’ll be a consistent double-digit sack artist at the NFL level. Others will think he needs to develop his frame more at the NFL level before becoming a full-time player.
Robert Quinn or Yannick Ngakoue could be potential markers for what Mike Green could become. His lackluster play strength likely makes him an inconsistent winner at the NFL level. Green’s ability to win in the blink of an eye means he could have 15-sack seasons mixed in with five-sack years.
Effort certainly isn’t an issue with Green. He plays at the peak of his physical potential on the edge. Unfortunately, effort alone isn’t enough to set a firm edge or consistently disengage against blockers weighing 80-100 pounds more than him.
It only takes one team to fall in love with his disruptive potential. It also seems that most big-name NFL Draft media analysts believe he’ll eventually be a Day 1 player come April. But with the run game resurgence beginning at the NFL level, can he survive early on as an NFL starter?