Arizona State CB Named Potential Sleeper in 2025

Arizona State football is heading into a potential golden age.

In a development that was seen as improbable at best from the outside world just three years ago, Kenny Dillingham took over as head coach of the program and took the 2024 team to the College Football Playoff - just two years into his tenure.

The newfound success has compelled a magnitude of star players from last season's squad to stay with the program for at least another year - but transfer portal additions remained necessary.

Enter Nyland Green.

The former University of Georgia and Purdue prodigy transferred into Tempe alongside teammate Kyndrich Breedlove - the additions have given the Sun Devils credible reinforcements in the secondary.

ESPN even named Green as a 'sleeper' for the number 12 ranked Sun Devils heading into the home stretch prior to the start of the season.

The rationale from analyst Bill Connelly:

"The Arizona State defense returns eight starters, including both cornerbacks (Keith Abney II and Javan Robinson) -- the Sun Devils are blessed with continuity on that side of the ball that most top-25 teams don't have. But that makes cornerback Nyland Green one heck of a luxury add: The Purdue transfer, who started his career as a blue-chipper at Georgia, was an all-or-nothing playmaker with an overwhelmed Boilermakers defense last year, but in more select roles, with better experience and talent around him, he could turn into a major difference-maker for the defending Big 12 champs."

The logic here is sound - Green will not have the same pressure to perform that was present at Georgia, and will simply have stronger infrastructure all-around in Tempe compared to West Lafayette.

Bryan Carrington has a consistent track record of maximizing DB talent, while defensive coordinator Brian Ward has received consistent outputs from his units in both 2023 and 24.

Green will also be in a different role, as Abney/Robinson will be the lead CB's on the outside - the former five star senior can step in situationally to make a difference, there's certainly potential for him to carve out a meaningful role in Tempe.

Read more about the Sun Devils missing out on being a finalist for 2026 WR Devin Fitzgerald here, and on where the program currently stands in the Big 12 recruiting wise here.

Please let us know your thoughts on Green's ability to be a key contributor within a more sound infrastructure when you like our Facebook page when you click right here.