Popular Bengals Mock Draft Target Taken Off Some Team's Draft Boards for Character Issues

Jay Morrison | Apr 24, 2025

Feb 27, 2025; Indianapolis, IN, USA; Marshall defensive lineman Mike Green (DL49) during the 2025 NFL Scouting Combine at the Indiana Convention Center. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images / Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

CINCINNATI – A pass rusher and popular choice for the Cincinnati Bengals in many mock drafts is off some team’s draft boards, per a report from SI.com’s Albert Breer.

In his latest intel article, Breer said the sexual assault allegations, though not new, have led to some teams taking Marshall edge rusher Mike Green off their draft boards.

And for that reason, Breer does not have Green getting drafted in the first round in his latest mock.

In that mock, Breer had the Bengals taking Texas cornerback Jahdae Barron in a nod to what he expects to be a man coverage-heavy scheme implemented by new defensive coordinator Al Golden.

Green addressed the accusations against him during the NFL Combine in February.

"I’ve done nothing wrong," Green said. “There’s accusations out there. I’ve never been questioned. I’ve never been asked. Nobody ever asked me a question about what happened before I departed from Virginia. It was just accusations that caused me to leave.”

Virginia suspended Green before he transferred to Marshall, where he led the nation in sacks in 2024 with 17.

The Athletic’s Dane Brugler has the 6-foot-3, 250-pound Green ranked as his No. 4 edge rusher in this year’s class.

“Green is a twitchy athlete with the burst and body control to win one-on-one as a pass rusher and set a violent edge in the run game, Brugler wrote in The Beast. “As long as his character checks out, he is one of the top pass-rush prospects in the draft class, with the disruptive ability to be an NFL starter.”

Bengals director of player personnel Duke Tobin said character issues and other red flags are treated on a case-by-case basis, but it’s hard to imagine the Bengals being a little gun shy after rolling the dice on Alabama wide receiver Jermaine Burton last year and getting burned on multiple occasions.

Some of the more plugged-in NFL Insiders have the Bengals selecting Green in their final mocks, including Peter Schrager and Todd McShay.

Green had 84 tackles (23 for loss) to go with his 17 sacks for Marshall last season. He's 10th on Brugler's big board.

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