Tennessee State Tigers safety Josh Green understands the importance of getting his hands on the football. Green created a ton of turnover opportunities, totaling 11 interceptions and 32 pass breakups. Those numbers will appeal to NFL defenses that are looking to counteract high-flying passing attacks.
Green recently spoke exclusively with The Draft Network about the statistics he compiled at Tennessee State, being coached by NFL legend Eddie George, participating in February’s HBCU Legacy Bowl, and more.
JM: You depart Tennessee State with 276 total tackles and 13 tackles for loss. What is it about your skill set that allows you to always be around the football?
Josh Green: I understand the game at a high level. I understood our defense. A lot of guys just play football. I understand the “why” behind everything we did. I believe it’s important to know the ins and outs of the defense you play in. I knew what my role was.
That opened up a lot of possibilities for me to make plays. I also managed to stay incredibly healthy throughout my college career. I was blessed to stay healthy through all my years. That led to a lot of reps and plays. I also didn’t miss too many tackles (laughs). That’s always good too.
JM: You also recorded 32 pass breakups and 11 interceptions. You've been a ball magnet at the safety position. How did you develop those ball skills?
Josh Green: That’s been in me for a long time. Growing up, everybody understood that I was a guy that would go up and get the ball. My youth coaches always put me in those positions because it always led to good ball production.
Playing safety opens up those possibilities for me. I took advantage of the opportunities that came my way. I love getting the ball in my hands. I love being a secure tackler as well, but at the end of the day, I love playing safety. I love creating takeaways and giving the ball back to our offense.
JM: How would you write your own scouting report? Self-scout yourself for me.
Josh Green: I’m about 5-foot-11, 195 pounds. My strengths are my football IQ and my secure tackling ability. I’m always in the right positions. I’m a great teammate and communicator. I make sure all my teammates are lined up in the right positions. I want everybody to be in a position to make a play.
As far as weaknesses go, I know I’m a little undersized for the safety position. I make up for it by understanding the game at a high level. I’m a consistent player and person. I play with a sense of security. I’m elusive on the back end. The ball production speaks for itself.
JM: What’s the biggest lesson you’ve learned from playing for NFL legend and Tennessee State head coach Eddie George?
Josh Green: That’s a great question. The biggest lesson I’ve learned from coach Eddie George… I remember when I had a whole new coaching staff for the first time. Coach George and his staff showed us that no matter how good you think you are, no matter what your role was with the previous staff, you always have something to prove.
You can’t get complacent. There’s always room for growth. I kept my head down and went to work. I stayed focused on the main thing. I didn’t let any distractions get to me. I trusted the staff to put me in good positions.
Coach George brought a lot of great networking opportunities to Tennessee State. Coach George has an open office policy. His door is always open to chat. He’s always ready to spread knowledge, both about football, and about life outside of football. I learned how to use all of the resources at my disposal.
JM: You’ll be attending the HBCU Legacy Bowl in New Orleans at the end of February. What are you hoping to prove to coaches and scouts in attendance?
Josh Green: I’m looking to prove that Tennessee State produces athletes every single year. I feel like we’re not always recognized as an HBCU for whatever reason. We’re not one of the go-to programs people think about when they think about HBCUs. We’re getting ourselves into that conversation.
I want to show NFL scouts that I’m a ball player. When you look at my statistics, that’s exactly who I am. I create takeaways. You’re going to see my communication skills as well. I make my teammates better.
I’m very competitive. I’m from Orlando, Florida. All we do down there is compete. High school football is taken very seriously. Instilling that mindset in me very early helped me excel at Tennessee State. I’m excited to meet with teams and showcase my football IQ. I can make those checks and alerts. I can’t wait to get on the whiteboard with them.
JM: We’ve appreciated your time. Why should a team use one of their draft picks on Josh Green?
Josh Green: I’m ready to play right away. I want to play 10-plus years for the same team. I’m more than just a short-term solution. I’m going to bring a lot of positive energy to the program. I’m going to help elevate the team.
I’m a coach's pet because I’m another coach on the field. I’m an extremely consistent player. I’m a versatile safety that can tackle. I can cover man-to-man coverage. I can play in every package and personnel. You can play me around the field.
I’m always in the right spot at the right time. I make the plays that need to be made. I make big-time plays when the game’s on the line.