Marshall EDGE Mike Green was a big-time standout at last week's 2025 Senior Bowl. Green arrived in Mobile as an intriguing pass rusher with a little first-round buzz. The Thundering Herd performer exited as a surefire top-20 overall selection in April’s 2025 NFL Draft.
Green recorded an FBS-best 17 sacks throughout 2024. At the Senior Bowl, he proved capable of dominating big-school offensive linemen, putting the level of competition questions to bed. Green's combination of burst and explosiveness projects him to be a highly effective pass rusher at the next level. Showcasing improved run-stopping ability, he’s starting to look like a complete prospect.
The 2025 NFL Draft features an outstanding class of first-round hopeful pass rushers. Green has established himself in that vicinity. We've identified three potential landing spots for Green's talent.
Arizona Cardinals
The Arizona Cardinals have conducted a multi-year-long search for a difference-making pass rusher. They drafted BJ Ojulari two years ago, who suffered a summer season-ending injury. They also selected Darius Robinson in the first round of 2024, but he spent the majority of his rookie campaign sidelined.
Head coach Jonathan Gannon is a defensive-minded leader. General manager Monti Ossenfort must continue drafting pass rushers until he gets it right. No Cardinals pass rusher had more than five sacks this past season. A ton of their veteran edge defenders are scheduled for free agency, including Dennis Gardeck, Baron Browning, Julian Okwara, and LJ Collier. Green should appear on their shortlist of potential targets at No. 16 overall.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers recorded a sixth-best 46.0 sacks this past campaign. General manager Jason Licht believes in fielding a fierce pass rush, as does his head coach Todd Bowles. Together, Licht and Bowles also believe in keeping the cupboard full, reserving the right to rotate several defensive linemen up front.
Joe Tryon-Shoyinka and Anthony Nelson are among the Bucs’ free agents this summer. Shaq Barrett also won’t be back. Logan Hall, Yaya Diaby, and Chris Braswell will be starring players next season, but the Bucs will want to replace the expected outgoings, and Hall will be entering a contract year. Green would be an outstanding fit for Bowles' scheme, one that would offer him an opportunity to attack opposing backfields with speed and relentlessness.
Atlanta Falcons
Similarly to the Cardinals, the Atlanta Falcons are another team that has struggled mightily to solve their pass-rushing woes. They finished 31st in sacks this season with 31.0, taking a step back from 2023. That’s despite trading for Matthew Judon in the offseason, and despite using a slew of draft picks on pass rushers in recent years (Bralen Trice, Zach Harrison, DeAngelo Malone, Arnold Ebiketie).
General manager Terry Fontenot has attempted half measure after half measure. He's traded for veterans, signed free agents, and drafted pass rushers in the middle rounds. What Fontenot hasn't done throughout this lackluster stretch is invest a first-round selection in a top-end talent. Green is among the standout EDGE prospects who should receive consideration at No. 15 overall.
