The San Francisco 49ers will be looking for some edge-rushing help in the upcoming NFL Draft. This might be the deepest draft for pass rushers in a while, and San Francisco will have opportunities to fill that need next month in Green Bay.
But with so many names available, the question is, who’s the best fit? And the answer depends on who you ask. In his latest NFL Mock Draft, NFL Network analyst Charles Davis thinks Marshall’s Mike Green is the answer at No. 11 overall in the first round. “The Niners are determined to pump up their pass rush, and Green is the choice to help them in that effort,” Davis wrote. “Green’s performance during Senior Bowl week showed his vast potential.”
As Davis points out, Green checks a lot of boxes for the 49ers. But there’s one thing he doesn’t address, and that’s the controversy behind the Marshall pass rusher.
Green was accused of sexual assault in high school. Then again, in a separate accusation while enrolled at Virginia. There were no charges filed, but he was suspended from football activities at Virginia, causing him to transfer to Marshall. It should be noted that nothing ever came from the accusations, but Green’s history has made him a contentious figure in this year’s draft – whether that’s fair or not.
Teams have so much invested in their top draft picks that they almost always do their due diligence before selecting a player. And anyone who selects Green could get a really good player, regardless of his alleged past.