The Baltimore Ravens got 1st-round value in 2025 2nd-round pick Mike Green when the Marshall edge rusher’s off-field issues cast a pall over his draft stock — 2 separate accusations of sexual assault in high school and in college.
While Green has yet to show he’s capable of doing in just 1 season, things are much different with the Ravens in 2026 than they were in 2025, which is why NFL insider Jordan Schultz put Green at the top of his list of “Defensive Breakout Candidates” in 2026.
Green had 3.5 sacks as a rookie — a number that 1st-year head coach Jesse Minter will no doubt be counted on to ratchet up if humanly possible.
“After having conversations with coaches and executives, here are my early offensive and defensive breakout picks for 2026,” Schultz wrote on his official X account on Monday.
Green was 1 of just 4 defensive players to make the list, along with San Francisco 49ers cornerback Upton Stout, New Orleans Saints cornerback Kool-Aid McKinstry, and Tennessee Titans linebacker Cedric Gray.
Mike Green Popular Name on ‘Breakout’ Lists
Schultz isn’t the 1st one to single out the 6-foot-3, 250-pound Green as a possible breakout star for the Ravens in 2026.
The Athletic’s Jeff Zrbiec singled Green out as the top “breakout player” for the Ravens, where he could form a destructive edge rusher trio with veteran free agent Trey Hendrickson and rookie Zion Young.
“A second-round pick last year, Green had 3.5 sacks as a rookie while playing more than expected following the Odafe Oweh trade,” Zrbiec wrote. “However, new defensive coordinator Anthony Weaver believes Green could have very easily had a 10-sack season and showed the player a video cut-up of all his near misses to prove it. With head coach Jesse Minter and Weaver now leading the defense, the addition of veteran Trey Hendrickson and second-round pick Zion Young on the edge and the potential return of interior disruptor Nnamdi Madubuike, Green could benefit in a big way.”
Ravens Have New Competition at Edge Rusher
The addition of Hendrickson and Young is to be welcomed in Baltimore, where the Ravens were devoid of anything resembling elite pass-rushing talent in 2025.
Part of that came from defensive tackle Nnamdi Madubuike’s season-ending neck injury in Week 2. Part of it came from not drafting and signing the right players.
Green, Hendrickson, and Young could make all of that just a distant memory.
Bleacher Report’s Brad Gagnon singled out Green as the most important 2nd-year player on Baltimore’s roster in 2026, as the team desperately tries to find elite pass rushers — as evidenced by signing Hendrickson to a 4-year, $112 million contract.
“First-round safety Malaki Starks has a real shot at stardom and is on a promising path,” Gagnon wrote. “Green — the team’s second-round selection — was much quieter as a rookie but has the tools to become a stellar starter. Trey Hendrickson’s presence could free him up to make a major impact in Year 2, but he could just as easily get lost in the shuffle with Tavius Robinson and Zion Young in the mix on the edge as well.”
Like HEAVY’s content? Be sure to follow us.
This article was originally published on HEAVY
The post Controversial Ravens Draft Pick Called ‘Breakout Candidate’ appeared first on HEAVY.