If you believe what you’ve heard and read, the Carolina Panthers are going to address their horrific defense from a year ago during the draft on numerous occasions. This is hardly breaking news. The team has already added several veterans in free agency to bolster this side of the ball. All told, general manager Dan Morgan has nine picks at his disposal, including the eighth overall selection.
Numerous draft analysts have the Panthers selecting either edge rush Jalon Walker from the University of Georgia, or his college teammate Mykel Williams, with their first-round pick. Both would make life miserable for opposing quarterbacks. However, Matt Johnson of Sportsnaut has a different idea via his recent two-round mock draft. He has Morgan opting for a defensive terror from Marshall University.
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“Mike Green led the FBS in sacks last season,” explained Johnson, “a glaring area of need for a team that finished 31st in ESPN pass-rush win rate (28 percent) in 2024. While Green might not have the upside of a Mykel Williams or Shemar Stewart (Texas A&M), he’s a much safer bet as a pass rusher and Carolina can’t afford to take chances when it had one of the NFL’s worst defenses in the last five years.”
NFL.com’s Lance Zierlein had this scouting report on Green. “High-energy pass rusher with productivity and a method of play that should translate to the next level. Green displays a natural and instinctive rush, utilizing loose hips and a series of moves and counters that can open doors with force or finesse. He’s very physical, with notes of violence in the way he attacks blockers in both phases. His explosiveness allows him to penetrate gaps, play around or through the protection edges and change direction quickly to finish in the backfield.”
“He relentlessly presses forward, but can run out of gas due to his hot-running motor,” added Zierlein. “Teams might wish he were heavier and longer but he’s willful, skilled and powerful with the ability to create enormous matchup concerns as an edge rusher on the next level.”
The 6’3”, 251-pound prospect comes off a year in which he totaled 17.0 sacks, and three forced fumbles in only 13 outings. All told, nearly one-third (23) of his 84 total tackles were for losses. Zierlein’s comp for Green was current Steelers’ pass rusher Alex Highsmith.
A not-so-subtle reminder. The Panthers’ defense has produced just 59 sacks combine the past two seasons. That’s pretty damning considering the Denver Broncos led the NFL with 63 quarterback traps in 2024.
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Russell S. Baxter has been writing and researching the game of football for more than 40 years, and on numerous platforms. That includes television, as he spent more than two decades at ESPN, and was part of shows that garnered five Emmy Awards. He also spent the 2015 NFL season with Thursday Night Football on CBS/NFLN.
