BJ Green doesn’t remember the groundbreaking moment when he started playing football or how he got into the sport.
"I just woke up and had a football in my hand pretty much," Green said.
Even though the beginnings of his football career sound mundane, his journey with the Sun Devils has been anything but.
The junior defensive lineman has proven to be a vital asset for the Sun Devils. In recent games, he tallied two sacks and three tackles for loss against Oklahoma State and spun down Caleb Williams in a strip sack during the USC matchup Saturday night.
Despite an impressive start with the Sun Devils, the collegiate landscape for Green didn't look promising during his senior year of high school. Recruiters were wary about his size and build as a 6-foot 240-pound man, and were hesitant to extend top-tier offers.
"My recruitment process was pretty slow," Green said. "I had a lot of lower-tier offers out of high school. I had a (preferred walk-on) to Florida State and a few others. But I knew I had the capability of being on scholarship at a Power Five program, so I didn't really deter from that."
Under the stadium lights in Tempe, far from Green's home in Atlanta, Georgia, his name was gaining attention due to a connection Green's godfather had fostered.
Former ASU defensive line coach Rob Rodriguez forged a connection with Green’s godfather, Greg Ellis, while he was an assistant coach for the Minnesota Vikings and Ellis was a volunteer coach. After Rodriguez, who is now the outside linebackers coach for the Arizona Cardinals, started his time at ASU, he got a phone call amid Green's recruiting woes.
"They were trying to get BJ recruited," Rodriguez said. "Greg spoke highly of him as a person. I tried hard after meeting BJ and watching his film to get him a scholarship, but we were all out."
Nonetheless, Green developed a relationship with Rodriguez and credits their bond as the primary reason he chose to play for ASU as a preferred walk-on.
"I bet on myself," Green said. "I always had the mentality that I was gonna be put on scholarship, so that’s how I worked every day. There were some hard days, but my end goal never changed."
It's a bet that Green won during his freshman year at ASU. As a true freshman, he led the ASU record for sacks, tallying five sacks during his freshman campaign. His impressive play was rewarded with a scholarship in his sophomore season.
Green exhibited qualities both on and off the field that captured Rodriguez’s attention as a coach.
"He's absolutely tenacious," Rodriguez said. "He has a natural feel for rushing the passer. Off the field, I found a young man that was very talented, mature beyond his years, and also very driven."
Rodriguez describes a "chip on (Green's) shoulder" that was carved from his adversity in the recruiting process, struggles that dated back to before his senior season was underway.
Back in Atlanta, Green transferred to Carrollton High School his senior year for academic reasons but was deemed ineligible to play ball. Green transferred again to Prince Avenue Christian School to complete his education and pre-collegiate football career.
It's through these formative challenges that Green learned more about his own character.
"I learned that I was resilient," Green said. "I'm not just gonna conform or take what I’m handed."
Green has grown out of a freshman with something to prove and has blossomed into a team leader.
"He's dialed in … is getting good grades, watching film," Vince Amey, current ASU defensive line coach, said. "He's consistent with that. Asking the right questions and leading by example."
This is a sentiment Rodriguez has also voiced to Green, instructing him early in his freshman year to lead by example and prepare to be a pillar of guidance for the team.
Green showcased other qualities early on that would contribute to his role as a leader.
"(He) would jump in at any time, he took the extra rep," Rodriguez said. "I knew that someday, as the years went on and he improved, that he would earn the respect from everybody 'cause he did all those things."
Outside the realm of football, Green is pursuing a degree in mechanical engineering, a career he's considering post-graduation.
"I've been really looking into amusement engineering, as well as prosthetics," Green said. "I just want to be able to have fun and work for myself when I get out of college."
Green also isn't ruling out the possibility of going pro and says football will remain an important way for him to build connections.
"I'm gonna open as many doors as I can with football," Green said. "I believe that I'll get to the next level, and when I do, I'm gonna continue that and use football as long as I can."
Green's motivation and aspirations are not something that goes unnoticed.
"(He has) a lot of want, you know," Amey said. "He wants to be great."
Edited by Alfred Smith III, Sadie Buggle and Caera Learmonth.
Reach the reporter at katrinamic03@gmail.com and follow @kat_m67 on X.
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