Jared Verse had some big shoes to fill as a rookie. Selected with the No. 19 overall pick in the 2024 NFL Draft, the Florida State product began a new chapter in Hollywood following the retirement of Aaron Donald. He began it in a big way by taking home the AP NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year award.
Big shoes to fill indeed, but with the youth movement on defense, the Rams relied on multiple players to make an impact on defense in 2024. Not only did the Rams have the athleticism and skillset of Verse to make an impact, but they also had fellow rookie Braden Fiske, along with players like Kobie Turner anchoring down the defense.
With Verse, however, the Rams drafted a special player. In Verse, they had a player with elite talent who blossomed into the kind of dominant force on the field the Rams hoped when they took him at No. 19. The scary part is he is just going to get better as an edge rusher in the NFL.
Jared Verse has the makings of a superstar
In predicting Verse’s rookie season in L.A., NFL Mocks recognized Verse was the key to success for the defense in 2024. If he adapted to Chris Shula’s 3-4 scheme, he would have success and, in this prediction, Mocks nailed his production in his rookie season, but did get one thing wrong.
Per Mocks:
“Verse will account for over 30 total tackles as a rookie with 5.5 sacks. His first sack will come in a Week 4 matchup against the Chicago Bears. Yes, Verse will get his first NFL sack against the No. 1 overall pick in the 2024 NFL Draft, and it won’t be the last time Verse and Caleb Williams meet in the backfield as their careers progress.”
Well, Verse accounted for 36 total tackles and 4.5 sacks on the season. His first sack came Week 1 against the Detroit Lions as Verse didn’t have the slow start Mocks also predicted he would have. Although the prediction wasn’t spot on (although close), the part Mocks really nailed was how Verse would finish the season. He not only recorded sacks in three consecutive games in Week 8-10, he recorded 2 sacks in the NFC Divisional Playoffs against the Philadelphia Eagles.
With his success throughout the season and the playoffs, the future is very bright for Verse and sky is the limit in how much of an impact he makes in the NFL as an up-and-coming edge rusher who has already written his story as a force to be reckoned with.