The Bucs are doing their due diligence in relation to the formal and casual conferences they’re holding with quite a few school prospects on the 2025 NFL Scouting Mix this week. One place the place the group is targeted on including expertise is at outdoors linebacker. Tampa Bay has formally met with three potential first-round picks, together with proficient Marshall cross rusher Mike Inexperienced.
Inexperienced led the nation with 17 sacks in 2024 and has a number of promise as a participant, however a pink flag got here up on social media in current days as sexual assault allegations in opposition to him got here out. On Wednesday morning, he addressed all the things from what units him aside on the sphere to clearing his identify of any wrongdoing off the sphere.
Mike Inexperienced’s Cross-Dashing Potential Units Him Aside
Marshall OLB Mike Inexperienced – Photograph by: USA At this time
It’s no secret that Mike Inexperienced is a proficient cross rusher. There’s a purpose that he appeared in Pewter Report’s first 2025 7-round mock draft. Scott Reynolds had this to say when profiling Inexperienced.
Marshall edge rusher Mike Inexperienced could be a unbelievable addition at No. 19 total for Tampa Bay. The 6-foot-4, 248-pound Inexperienced is a redshirt sophomore who exploded on to the scene with a nation-leading 17 sacks and three compelled fumbles in 2024. That was an enormous leap from 4.5 sacks in his first season at Marshall in 2023 since transferring from Virginia throughout the 2022 season.
Inexperienced has excellent speed-to-power means and brings the battle to offensive tackles. He had six multiple-sack video games in 2024 throughout his breakout season and lived within the backfield. Granted, it was in opposition to largely inferior competitors, however Inexperienced did notch a sack in opposition to nationwide champion Ohio State and likewise had a pair of sacks in opposition to Virginia Tech.
Inexperienced is a bodily presence on the line of scrimmage with nice bend, hard-hitting arms and pace to shut and end, in response to FOX NFL analyst Brian Baldinger, a former NFL offensive lineman. He performs with a way of urgency and hustle and is hard in opposition to the run, evidenced by 23 tackles for loss final 12 months. Inexperienced lived in opposing backfields in 2024.
On the 2025 NFL Mix, Inexperienced had the prospect to debate what units him aside from among the different high edge rushers. Penn State’s Abdul Carter would be the first participant taken at his place, however he’s within the combine to go subsequent.
Marshall EDGE Mike Inexperienced Photograph by: USA At this time
“I’m excited to be here with all of these great guys,” Inexperienced stated. “I think what sets me apart is my pass-rushing ability. I’m also good in the run defense. I just got a lot of tools in my bag when it comes down to moves that I can do and how I can defend the run.”
He’s a bit on the lighter aspect, weighing in at 251 kilos final month on the Reese’s Senior Bowl. Though a bit undersized, a fast have a look at the movie will let you know it’s not an impediment for him to get within the backfield. Inexperienced completely shocked a projected first-round choose in Oregon’s Josh Conerly Jr. on one rep and did that all through his final school season in opposition to opposing offensive tackles and quarterbacks alike.
“I’d probably just say just keep on chipping away at showing what I can do,” Inexperienced added. “I know sometimes undersized guys have trouble setting the edge and things like that. I’ve been proving to myself and to other people that I can do things such as setting the edge and power rushing. It might be a little talk out there about me not being able to do certain things, but when you put on the film and watch all 700 plays, you’ll see sparks and highlights of the way I play.”
Mike Inexperienced Formally Met With Bucs, Goals Of Dwelling And Taking part in In Florida
Marshall OLB Mike Inexperienced – Adam Slivon/PR
Taking the rostrum on Wednesday morning, Mike Inexperienced additionally shared his desire to play in Florida. Extra particularly, his match with the Bucs.
“I know they have room for edge rushers right now, and I’m aware of what pick they have,” Inexperienced stated about probably enjoying Tampa Bay. “It would be a blessing to play anywhere man, but Florida is definitely a state that I kind of dream of living in. It would be great to go down there and play.”
Inexperienced didn’t remark a lot concerning the group moreover them needing an edge rusher, however there isn’t any questioning his match from a manufacturing standpoint. The Bucs’ outdoors linebacker room had simply 12 sacks in 2024, which he outpaced on his personal with the Thundering Herd.
Immediately, he would step in because the No. 2 cross rusher to Yaya Diaby and it’s effectively inside purpose to anticipate him to climb to No. 1 shortly as he adjusts to the NFL. Regardless of his apparent on-field match, during the last week, allegations have surfaced that cloud his outlook when figuring out whether or not or not he’s even nonetheless on Tampa Bay’s draft board.
Mike Inexperienced Addresses Sexual Assualt Allegations
Marshall OLB Mike Inexperienced – Photograph by: USA At this time
Mike Inexperienced took loads of time to deal with the elephant within the room on the NFL Mix.
There’s not a number of particular data on the market about two separate sexual assault allegations in opposition to Inexperienced throughout highschool and school, however he did verify to Pewter Report and different reporters that the accusations triggered him to go away Virginia in 2022 and switch to Marshall. The projected first-round choose asserted he didn’t do something incorrect and that the claims don’t maintain any benefit.
“There is a lot of talk out there and it’s just a bunch of people that really don’t know what actually happened,” Inexperienced stated. “I’ve by no means achieved something incorrect, I’ve by no means been charged with something. My foremost focus proper now could be simply telling these groups all the things that they want and wish to know.
“It’s just a little frustrating just seeing online that everybody just has everything to say. That’s not the case. I’m just going to continue to stick to the process and I’m confident in myself and the way that I’ve been handling this process. That’s what I’m going to keep on doing.”
Inexperienced continued when questioned about it additional.
“I mean, 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 and that caused me to leave from there.”
Bucs GM Jason Licht – Photograph by: Bailey Adams/PR
Bucs common supervisor Jason Licht certainly wished to do his due diligence with the group having a proper assembly with him to get his aspect of the story. Licht is thought for drafting high-character gamers and leaders within the locker room, and it stays to be seen how a lot these allegations will have an effect on Inexperienced’s draft inventory earlier than the 2025 NFL Draft begins in lower than two months.
Inexperienced dealt with the questions requested by reporters by being greater than prepared to debate it and said he was simply as clear with the Bucs and different groups that he has met with.
“They ask everything,” Inexperienced stated about what sorts of questions NFL groups have requested him concerning the allegations. “They don’t ask anything that they don’t know. My job here is to tell everything, the truth, and how it is. They ask everything, it’s not just one question that every team asks. They asked about the whole process and about how my [upbringing] was.”
Mike Inexperienced stays on Tampa Bay’s radar, and the sensation is mutual. Time will inform if he falls to No. 19, but when the group believes that his off-field issues are a non-issue, they might be getting a possible star to enhance a protection in determined want of ballhawks and guys who’re, as head coach Todd Bowles put it, “very astute in the game and can see things, go make plays, and go get them.”
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