One of the most notable non-quarterbacks that has been linked to the Cleveland Browns with the No. 2 overall pick is Penn State defensive end Abdul Carter. Adding a young pass rusher to play opposite of Myles Garrett is a move that anyone could get behind.
If the Browns fall in love with one of the top QBs in the class though, a name like Carter would be out of the question, but it doesn't mean they shouldn't still be looking to add at the position overall. That's where Marshall's Mike Green could potentially come into focus.
Emerging from the Sun Belt Conference, Green turned heads during his redshirt sophomore season with the Thundering Herd finishing as the FBS leader in sacks with 17. Now he's turning them again at the Senior Bowl where he embarrassed Oregon tackle Josh Conerly Jr. in a one-on-one drill on Wednesday. The clip went viral pretty quickly.
Green has put on quite the show down at Mobile, Ala. this week that he actually announced he was withdrawing from the event early to focus on training for the NFL Draft elsewhere.
The 6-foot-3, 251-pound pass rusher brings an elite twitch to the next level and has shown to be physical at the point of attack. His tape also reveals that he's already developed some key pass rush moves including arm-over, cross-chop and a spin move. All of those traits and skills should translate well to the NFL and make him one of the top names at the position in this upcoming draft.
Green saw steady development throughout his college career, which began at Virginia, before transferring to Marshall in 2023. He will attempt to continue that upward trajectory in the pros, but some improvements are needed, such as adding some muscle at the next level.
Overall though, Green projects as a late first, early second round pick – granted his performance at the Senior Bowl may have helped him trend more into the former. He'll have opportunities to increase his stock even further with the NFL Combine and a Pro Day still to come.
If all holds true and Green ends up as a potential first round, the Browns will find themselves in perfect position to land him either by trading back up into the first round or selecting him with No. 33 in the draft. That pick will be the first one made in the second round if Cleveland stays put, which is good place to be for general manager Andrew Berry because it presents and easy path back into the first if a player he likes is still on the board and comes with the added bonus of a fifth-year option for the chosen player.
With that in mind, Green presents a perfect first-round talent alternative to someone like Carter. He's also a good backup plan if Berry and company decide quarterback is the move at No. 2 overall, giving the Browns another option to fill a need later on during the first day, or right away on day 2.
There are endless possibilities when it comes to what the Browns ultimate plan of attack will be for these picks. But Green is an intriguing player to keep an eye on for Cleveland in the months ahead.
