21. Mike Green, Edge, Marshall
Mike Green began his collegiate career at Virginia before transferring to Marshall, where he became one of the nation’s top edge rushers. He finished the 2023 season with at least a half-sack in four of the Thundering Herd’s last five games. That momentum continued into 2024 as Green led the FBS with 17.0 sacks and was named the Sun Belt Conference Player of the Year. Green was the first FBS player to record 17 sacks in a season since Will Anderson Jr. (17.5) did so in 2021. Ironically, Marshall Head Coach Charles Huff says Green reminds him a lot of Anderson, who Huff spent time with in Tuscaloosa. Green’s 22.5 tackles for loss last season ranked second in the nation and trailed only Penn State’s Abdul Carter, who played three more games.
“When you watched the tape, we’d bring him up a lot,” a Power 5 O-line coach told The Athletic’s Bruce Feldman. “What is this guy doing at Marshall? I thought he was a real guy. He had some shake to him and some edge. Really good with his hands, is twitchy, and he knows what he is. He used his speed, and then he’d go speed-counter, and then he could go speed to power. He is a natural edge guy and natural pass rusher.”
22. James Pearce Jr., Edge, Tennessee
James Pearce Jr. played in all 39 games of his three-year career at Tennessee. Rated a four-star prospect coming into college, Pearce totaled 27.5 tackles for loss over his sophomore (2023) and junior (2024) seasons and was named an All-SEC performer both years. According to ESPN, his 18.7% pressure rate was second-best among all FBS defenders last season. Pearce led all defensive linemen with a 4.47 40-yard dash time at the NFL Combine. That 4.47 time beat out every tight end and 25 other running backs and wide receivers who tested at the annual event.
Jeremiah believes Pearce has “double-digit sack potential and should make an immediate impact in the league.”
“The Volunteers moved him around in their scheme and he created havoc from a variety of entry points,” Jeremiah wrote. “His first three steps are very explosive when he’s rushing off the edge. For such a lean-framed player, he can generate a lot of pocket push with his bull rush.”
NFL Network’s Lance Zierlein lists Pearce’s pro comparison as Baltimore Ravens outside linebacker Odafe Oweh.
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