When it comes to the NFL Draft, no team drafts better than the Baltimore Ravens. They always find a way to hit on their draft picks, no matter how late they are picking. In the 2025 NFL Draft, they may have found two future superstars.
Baltimore selected safety Malaki Starks with the 27th pick in the first round back in April. Coming out of the event, he was deemed one of the biggest steals of the draft. He had an outstanding training camp and a decent preseason showing. However, another rookie is somehow outshining him.
Second-round pick Mike Green has taken the league by storm through three games of preseason action. He quickly established himself as one of the best young sack artists, and while it was only preseason, it is hard to ignore the traits he was showcasing throughout the month. From technique to speed and burst off the line of scrimmage, the 22-year-old has the makings to quickly reach NFL stardom.
Mike Green is already blazing a trail to NFL stardom
Green did not tally a sack in the preseason, but he was living in the backfield. He had six hurries over 70 snaps, per Pro Football Focus. He also had 29.7% win rate on pass rush snaps, and registered an 88.5 pass rush grade. He looks ready to dominate the NFL in his rookie campaign, and it took Baltimore just one game to see that, as they decreased his snap share each week.
He went from 33 snaps in Week 1 against the Indianapolis Colts to 21 in Week 2 versus the Dallas Cowboys, and ended with 16 in the preseason finale against the Washington Commanders. Green simply had nothing left to prove against that competition, and now shifts his focus to Week 1’s regular season matchup with the Buffalo Bills, where he should already see a significant role.
Of course, it will take some time for Green to become the go-to pass rusher with the Ravens. They have Kyle Van Noy and Odafe Oweh leading the way in 2025, who tallied 12.5 and 10 sacks, respectively, in 2024. Tavius Robinson is also going to see plenty of playing time, as well, contributing as a solid rotational pass rusher and stout run defender. Still, Green is quickly proving he belongs in the fray.
Last season, along with a lack of consistency, Baltimore was missing some juice from their pass rushers. Green is expected to provide just that, and then some. He possesses a combination of elite burst and bend, which should play perfectly off the trio of Van Noy, Oweh, and Robinson.
If Green can reach the potential that most people see in him, then he could be the X-factor in the Ravens’ 2025 run. Everyone in Baltimore has the Super Bowl on their minds this year, and Green looks to be a key contributor to reaching that goal.