The Rams stuck and stayed in the first round for the first time since the 2016 draft, and they got the most physically imposing edge-rusher in this class with Jared Verse. Verse can be bendy to a point, but he really wins with power and technique. His physical profile is a lot like that of Texans edge-rusher Will Anderson Jr., the reigning Defensive Rookie of the Year.
A football, basketball, and track star in high school, Verse had humble collegiate beginnings with two seasons at Albany in 2020 and 2021, transferring to Florida State in time for the 2022 season. It took Verse little ramp-up to succeed at a higher level; in his second game for the Seminoles against LSU, he had two sacks, seven total pressures, and three stops. Verse totaled nine sacks, 36 total pressures, 25 solo tackles, and 26 stops in that first season, but the fun was just beginning.
Last season, Verse had 11 sacks and 62 total pressures in 329 pass-rushing snaps, adding 25 solo tackles and 24 stops. FSU’s first two-time first-team All-ACC defensive end since Reinard Wilson in 1995-96, Verse was a semifinalist for the Lombardi Award and Lott IMPACT Trophy, an AFCA first-team All-American, and a second-team All-American by ESPN, Associated Press, USA Today and The Athletic.
PLUSES
— Verse has average arm length and wingspan, but he makes the most of it. Verse extends his hands and arms through blocks, and will use them to shorten the distance to the ballcarrier.
— Consistently explodes off the snap with bad intentions; whatever move you have to deal with from there, you have to deal with that first.
— Old-man strength is a thing; he has reps where he just nukes a poor tackle with speed-to-power or just pure power. 254-pound player who hits like he’s 270.
— Will put the tackle off-balance with foot-fakes, and then, it’s off to the races. You do not want to be on one foot when Verse plows through you.
— Agility and foot movement also allow him to just work around blockers; his crossover move is a real asset, and he can flip 1-2 gaps to pressure from inside.
— Can stack and shed with the best of them, and he’s quick off the aggressive move to the pocket.
MINUSES
— Can get a bit exuberant at times on his way to the running back, resulting in some flat-out whiffs.
— As a pass-rusher, could stand to play with a bit more control at times; his pressure numbers would improve with a finer-tuned GPS.
— Has the athleticism and skill set to be a dip-and-rip/motorcycle lean (copyright @gregcosell) rusher, but that would have to be developed.
Verse is my favorite kind of draft prospect; he’s done so much to refine and expand his toolkit, but he’s not a low-ceiling player at all. The athletic upside is kind of silly here, and it’s pretty easy to project him as an EDGE1 in the NFL.
Jared Verse, EDGE, Florida State
— Doug Farrar ✍ (@NFL_DougFarrar) April 5, 2024
PLUSES
— Verse has average arm length and wingspan, but he makes the most of it. Verse extends his hands and arms through blocks, and will use them to shorten the distance to the ballcarrier.
— Consistently explodes off the snap with bad… pic.twitter.com/tE0k2eKSO8
