Just hours away from the Los Angeles Chargers’ first-round pick coming out, the rumor mill continues to churn. According to ESPN’s NFL Insider, Matt Miller, the team is ‘all-in on improving at edge rusher in the early rounds.’
This has led Miller to mock the Chargers’ Marshall edge, Mike Green.
“Green was one of the hottest and most interesting names in my discussions with scouts this week, as he could legitimately go anywhere from No. 11 all the way down to Round 2,” Miller wrote. “That said, the Chargers are rumored to be all-in on improving at edge rusher in the early rounds.”
The small school stud rocketed up draft boards after the combine, but as more details came to light about his behavior off the field came to light, the hype waned.
Los Angeles Chargers All In On Improving Edge Rushers
Green, a one-year starter at Marshall, operated as a stand-up edge rusher on the field side in defensive coordinator Jason Semore’s four-man front. While his 2023 film revealed flashes of potential, he ascended to All-America status in 2024, anchoring a dominant defense that propelled the Thundering Herd to a 10-win season and the Sun Belt title. Green led the FBS in sacks (17), tackles among defensive linemen (84), and sack yardage (144), finishing a remarkable 42 yards ahead of the next closest player in that category.
Off the field, though, Green was far from remarkable. At the start of his second year at Virginia (August 22), he was suspended following a sexual assault allegation. It is important to note that Green was not charged, and the case was suspended; Green has denied any wrongdoing. Additionally, a sexual assault allegation occurred while he was in high school, and no formal charges were filed in that instance. Shortly before signing day, Virginia requested that he sign a zero-tolerance policy.
The Athletic’s Dane Brugler ranks Green as the 4th-best edge and 10th-best prospect in the NFL draft class, writing, “Green is a twitchy athlete with the burst and body control to win one-on-one as a pass rusher and set a violent edge in the run game. As long as his character checks out, he is one of the top pass-rush prospects in the draft class, with the disruptive ability to be an NFL starter.”
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