Highly touted edge rusher prospect Mike Green is still on the board going into Day 2 of the 2025 NFL Draft, even after wrapping up a standout junior year at Marshall with 17 sacks, 23 tackles for loss, and three forced fumbles.
On production and talent alone, Green would’ve been a no-brainer first-round pick — but off-the-field concerns tied to a pair of sexual assault allegations have caused teams to hesitate.
Mike Green Denies Sexual Assault Allegations That Led to His Tumble in the Draft
Green has publicly denied both accusations — one reportedly from high school and another during his freshman year at Virginia, which ultimately led to his dismissal from the program — during his appearance at the NFL Scouting Combine.
“I’ve done nothing wrong,” Green said, according to The Athletic. “There’s accusations out there. I’ve never been questioned. I’ve never been asked. Nobody ever asked me a question about what happened before I departed from Virginia. It was just accusations that caused me to leave.”
Still, Sports Illustrated’s Albert Breer forecasted Green’s drop in his latest mock draft, citing league-wide concerns about the edge rusher’s availability if the allegations ever resurface.
“Green has denied the accusations, but decisions on these sorts of risks go to a team’s security departments and then, eventually, to the owners. And some owners won’t want to take a risk, even if a guy has been cleared, especially in cases where there’s more than one incident,” Breer wrote. “For that reason, fair or not, Green is off some team’s boards.”
If Green is able to move past the allegations and stay on the field, PFSN Draft Analyst Ian Cummings believes he could be a game-changer. Cummings gave Green his second-highest edge rusher grade in the class, just behind eventual No. 3 pick Abdul Carter.
“At 6’3″, 251 pounds, with 32″ arms, Green’s length and mass are visibly non-elite, but Green nonetheless terrorizes tackles with his explosiveness, bend, agility, and thorough execution,” Cummings wrote in his scouting report on the Marshall standout.
“His three-cone time near the 99th percentile is evidence of his athleticism and fluidity, and he also has surprising play strength as an edge-setter in run support. Best utilized as a wide-alignment rusher in odd and hybrid-front schemes, Green has impact starter potential.”
Only one player can lead the FBS in sacks each year. In 2024, that player was Mike Green. In his second year at Marshall, Green amassed 17 sacks and 23 tackles for loss, earning Sun Belt Player of the Year honors, national acclaim, and an invite to the Senior Bowl.
Green aced the offseason process, and was viewed as a consensus first-round talent. His explosiveness and bend stand out at 6’3″, 251 pounds, but he also has surprising speed-to-power, efficient and synergetic hands, and strength in run defense.
For Green, the on-field evaluation isn’t the only factor. Teams will need to carefully vet his dismissal from Virginia. If Green passes the background check and character evaluation, he has the tools to be a dynamic pass-rush catalyst for odd and hybrid-front teams.
Stay tuned tonight as Rounds 2 and 3 of the draft kick off, with Green still on the board alongside Colorado QB Shedeur Sanders.