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NEW ORLEANS — Following a 2024 campaign in which it defeated three autonomy conference foes—running its tally to 22 such victories since 2016 and 11 since 2022, when the league expanded to its current 14-member configuration—and paced all non-autonomy conferences in Bowl Season representation for the third-straight year, reigning Sun Belt Player of the Year Marshall defensive lineman Mike Green was selected in the 2025 NFL Draft.
The conference has produced multiple NFL Draft selections in 21-of-24 drafts since it began sponsoring football in 2001, with four of its six highest NFL Draft totals coming over the past six seasons. This year, Green was the only one.
The SEC led all conferences with 79, including 26 of 32 first round picks. The Southeastern Conference was followed by the B1G with 72, the ACC (41), the Big 12 (31), The American (7), the MWC (6), the MAC (4), Conference USA (1), and the Sun Belt (1).
FCS schools combined for 8 picks with 7 more who had spent time at FCS schools. Two of the 8 were North Dakota State products, featuring first-rounder Gray Zabel who went to the Seahawks with the 18th overall pick. Bison QB Cam Miller was taken in the sixth by the Raiders with pick No. 215.
Ohio State led all schools with 14.
Get the full list of all 257 picks, team-by-team, at CBSSports.com.
The Sun Belt registered a conference-record nine selections in 2023, seven draftees in 2020 and six picks in 2022 and 2024. The Sun Belt has tallied six-or-more draft picks on six occasions all-time (2010, 2012, 2020, 2022, 2023 & 2024).
Green was selected by the Baltimore Ravens in the second round with the 59th overall pick, the Sun Belt’s highest selection since Louisiana offensive lineman Robert Hunt was picked in the second round with the 39th overall pick in the 2020 NFL Draft.
Green is the 10th Sun Belt student-athlete all-time to be selected in either the first or second round of the NFL Draft, joining a list that includes Pro Bowl offensive lineman Hunt out of Louisiana (2020); First Team All-Pro return specialist Leodis McKelvin out of Troy (2008); Pro Football Hall of Fame, nine-time Pro Bowl, seven-time All-Pro and Super Bowl champion linebacker DeMarcus Ware out of Troy (2005); and two-time Pro Bowl and All-Pro defensive back Charles Tillman out of Louisiana (2003). Green is the fourth defensive player and the eighth player overall in Marshall history to be selected in either the first or second round of the NFL Draft. He is the third NFL Draft pick of Marshall’s Sun Belt era, following the Baltimore Ravens selection of running back Rasheen Ali and the Indianapolis Colts pick of defensive back Micah Abraham in 2024.
Green led the nation with a Marshall and Sun Belt single-season record 17.0 sacks and ranked second in the country and second in Sun Belt history with 22.5 tackles for loss in 2024. The Williamsburg, Va., native also led the FBS in sack yardage (144), tackles for loss yardage (155), tackles for loss per game (1.73) and tackles by a defensive lineman (84).
The All-Sun Belt First Team honoree received First Team All-America recognition from the Walter Camp Football Foundation and Second Team accolades from the American Football Coaches Association (AFCA), Associated Press (AP), Football Writers Association of America (FWAA) and Phil Steele, after helping propel Marshall to its first Sun Belt football crown.
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