Marshall Professional Athletes

Marshall's Mike Green is making noise in Baltimore.

The Ravens linebacker earned a game ball for his pass-rush performance in Baltimore's 24-18 Week 4 victory over the Tennessee Titans on Sunday, Oct. 4 — one of the standout individual efforts in what was a collectively strong defensive showing for the Ravens. Green was recognized alongside defensive tackle Nnamdi Madubuike as a key reason Baltimore's pass rush controlled the game.

Green, who came to the Ravens out of Huntington, has been carving out a legitimate role on one of the NFL's most respected defenses. Earning a game ball — a distinction reserved for performances that genuinely move the needle — signals that Green isn't just filling a roster spot. He's contributing in ways that show up on the scoreboard.

For Marshall fans tracking their own in the league, it's a moment worth noting. The Thundering Herd have a handful of alumni scattered across NFL rosters this season — from Rasheen Ali in the Ravens' backfield to Nazeeh Johnson in Tennessee's secondary — but it's Green who's making the loudest statement in Week 4. The fact that two Marshall alumni were on opposite sidelines in Baltimore's win adds a layer of intrigue for Herd faithful.

Green's game ball came in a competitive contest: the Ravens needed every point of that 24-18 margin, and a suffocating pass rush was central to holding the Titans at bay. For a linebacker to be called out specifically in that context speaks to the quality of his individual effort.

The coming weeks will determine whether Green can sustain this level of production — but for now, Marshall's football pipeline has a legitimate highlight to point to in the early NFL season.

Marshall doesn't flood the NFL with household names, but for one week in late September, the Thundering Herd had three of its own suiting up on Sundays — and in two different cities.

Connors Gets His Shot in LA

The headliner of the week was Dean Connors, elevated by the Los Angeles Rams ahead of their Week 3 matchup against the Denver Broncos. Connors, who turned heads during the preseason, earned the call-up alongside fellow Marshall alum and Rams linebacker Elias Neal — meaning two Herd products were active on the same Los Angeles roster at the same time.

Connors' elevation is the kind of moment that defines the early career of a practice-squad player: months of invisible work suddenly distilled into a genuine NFL opportunity. For a program like Marshall, which has long punched above its weight in producing pro talent, it's a meaningful data point. Both Connors and Neal were expected to contribute primarily on special teams against the Broncos, but getting on the field at all is the prerequisite for everything that comes next.

Green and Ali Suit Up Together in Baltimore

Meanwhile, on the other side of the country, the Ravens hosted the Cowboys in a tight 34-31 finish that had Marshall's Baltimore contingent in the thick of it. Linebacker Mike Green and running back Rasheen Ali were both active for Baltimore in Week 3 — two Herd alumni on the same AFC roster, playing meaningful snaps in a competitive atmosphere.

Green has carved out a role in Baltimore's linebacker corps, and Ali has been working to establish himself as a contributor in the Ravens' backfield. The two represent different skill sets and different positions, but the same pipeline: a mid-major program in Huntington, West Virginia producing players who stick in the NFL's most competitive environments.

The Bigger Picture

Three Marshall alumni active in the same NFL week — two with the Rams, two with the Ravens — is the kind of quiet milestone that gets noticed in alumni circles more than headlines. The Thundering Herd's track record of developing NFL-caliber players has never been built on top-10 draft picks or media darlings. It's built on exactly this: players grinding through practice squads, earning elevations, holding roster spots week to week.

For Marshall fans tracking their Herd in the pros, the Week 3 snapshot is worth bookmarking. Whether Connors parlays his elevation into a permanent roster spot, whether Ali sees an expanded role as the Ravens' season progresses, or whether Green continues to hold down his linebacker duties in Baltimore — the Herd's NFL footprint, however understated, is real and it is active.

Marshall in the NFL | Week of Sept. 20–26, 2026

Elias Neal Is Getting Called Up — Twice

Undrafted free agents don't usually make noise in September. Elias Neal is trying to change that script.

The Marshall linebacker earned two separate roster elevations with the Los Angeles Rams in a span of days — first when the team elevated him from the practice squad ahead of their Monday Night Football matchup against the New York Giants, then again as Los Angeles shuffled its roster before a Week 3 date with the Denver Broncos. Back-to-back elevations for a player who went undrafted isn't a coincidence; it's a signal that the coaching staff sees something worth deploying.

At 6-foot, 220 pounds, Neal brings the kind of athleticism and versatility that defensive coordinators covet on special teams and in sub-packages. Getting elevated once can be a depth necessity. Getting elevated twice, in consecutive weeks, suggests Neal is climbing the trust ladder under head coach Sean McVay. The Rams' front office clearly isn't done exploring what the former Herd standout can do at the next level.

For Marshall fans keeping tabs on their alumni, Neal's trajectory is one of the more compelling stories of the early season — a young player carving out a real role on a competitive roster, not just holding a spot.

Also in the League: Green and the Ravens Fall Short

On the field Sunday, Marshall linebacker Mike Green suited up for the Baltimore Ravens in a tough 17–24 loss to the New Orleans Saints. Green logged a sack in the defeat, a bright individual moment in an otherwise frustrating afternoon for Baltimore. The Ravens dropped to what figures to be an early-season stumbling block, though Green's pass-rush production is a positive sign for his role going forward.

Running back Rasheen Ali was also active for Baltimore in the same game, though he did not register a notable statistical line in the loss.

The Bigger Picture

Neal's double elevation story is the marquee Marshall narrative of the week — and a fitting one. The Herd has quietly developed a pipeline of NFL-caliber talent, and watching an undrafted linebacker earn repeated trust from one of the league's most analytically minded coaches is exactly the kind of slow-burn success story that tends to snowball. If Neal can convert those elevations into a spot on the 53-man roster, Marshall will have another name to add to its growing NFL ledger.

Keep an eye on him. The Rams apparently are.