As much as recruiting rankings have improved over the last decade—and yes, they have improved dramatically—analysts still miss players frequently. Some five-star recruits pan out (look at Caleb Williams. the No. 1 pick in the 2024 NFL draft); others flame out at the collegiate level.
Jared Verse was one of the missies but on the other end of the spectrum. A zero-star recruit in high school with only one FCS offer, Verse worked his way from playing both sides of the ball at Central Columbia High School (Bloomsburg, Pa.) to Albany to Peer Five Florida State to, eventually, the NFL draft.
