The San Francisco 49ers are expected to reinforce their trenches in the upcoming NFL Draft, and the latest CBS Sports mock draft from Josh Edwards has them targeting an edge rusher with their first-round pick. Edwards projects the 49ers to select Marshall defensive end Mike Green at No. 11 overall.
San Francisco recently parted ways with veteran pass rusher Leonard Floyd, who recorded 8.5 sacks last season. While offensive line help is also a possibility, Edwards sees the 49ers first focusing on the defensive front.
"San Francisco is almost certainly going to take a trench player with its first-round pick; edge rusher, defensive tackle or offensive line," Edwards wrote. "Mike Green gives the 49ers another pass rusher opposite Nick Bosa."
Green's dominant 2024 season
Green (6-3, 251) began his college career at Virginia before transferring to Marshall, where he played his final two seasons. His 2024 campaign was nothing short of dominant, leading the nation with 17 sacks while racking up 84 tackles (23 for loss), two passes defensed, and three forced fumbles in 13 games, per Sports Reference.
His performance earned him a 92.4 defensive grade from Pro Football Focus—the highest among all FBS defenders. He also ranked second among edge rushers in run-defense grade (90.2) and tied for sixth in pass-rush grade (91.4).
Over his college career, Green amassed 131 tackles (33 for loss), 22.5 sacks, two passes defensed, and four forced fumbles.
Addressing off-field allegations
At the NFL Scouting Combine, Green addressed allegations of sexual assault from his time at Virginia—claims he strongly denied.
"There's accusations out there. I've never been questioned," Green said, per The Athletic. "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."
He firmly maintained his innocence, stating, "Once again, I've done nothing wrong."
Green's potential impact
If the 49ers draft Green, he would provide immediate depth opposite Bosa and strengthen a defensive front that has seen key departures this offseason. While San Francisco could also target the offensive line, reinforcing the pass rush aligns with the team's long-standing roster-building strategy.
With the draft approaching, Green is a candidate to be the newest addition for defensive coordinator Robert Saleh, potentially forming an impactful duo with Bosa for years to come.