The Green Bay Packers will have the No. 23 overall pick in the first round of the 2025 NFL Draft, and ESPN analyst Mel Kiper has them picking one of the top edge rushers in the country, Mike Green from Marshall.
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Green, listed at 6’4″ and just under 250 pounds, led the FBS in sacks (17) and tackles for loss (22.5) in 2024 and was ninth in pressure rate (15.5 percent). The Associated Press named him a second-team All-American. Green was also named the Sun Belt Player of the Year and the Marshall Team MVP.
“Who knows who was the last first-round pick out of Marshall? You have to go back to 2003 when quarterback Byron Leftwich went No. 7. Leftwich is one of three Marshall first-rounders of the common draft era (since 1967), joining Chad Pennington (2000) and Randy Moss (1998). So it says something that Green could join that group,” Kiper explained in his column.
“He wins with speed-to-power, and he displays good bend and strong hands. Despite tying for eighth in sacks (45), the Packers were 22nd in pressure rate (29.8%) and 26th in pass rush win rate (34.8%). This feels like a good fit,” he concluded.
Should the Green Bay Packers follow Mel Kiper’s advice?
The Green Bay Packers had great success under first-year defensive coordinator Jeff Hafley, but the defensive line needs improving, hence the firing of Jason Rebrovich.
Adding a capable edge rusher would surely boost Green Bay’s overall defense. Mike Green received a 92.4 overall grade from the PFF after leading the nation in total tackles by a defensive lineman. He notched 59 total pressures across 356 pass-rushing snaps, ranked ninth among all FBS players.
If Green goes to Green Bay, he will play alongside Rashan Gary, Kingsley Enagbare, Brenton Cox Jr., and Lukas Van Ness, among others.
