The Los Angeles Rams broke a recent trend.
Their selection of Florida State Seminoles edge defender Jared Verse was their first first-round pick since 2016. The pick also drew rave reviews from former New England Patriots head coach Bill Belichick, winner of six Super Bowls and architect of the last modern dynasty.
“I really like Verse,” Belichick said during the “Pat McAfee Show” on April 25. “He … can play outside, can play inside. Powerful, explosive. There’s so much to like about this guy.”
Verse is coming off of back-to-back 9.0-sack seasons at FSU, tallying 29.5 tackles for loss in that span. Right away, lofty expectations were placed upon him with Aaron Donald’s retirement still on the minds of some.
“Jared Verse was instrumental to helping get @FSUFootball back to one of the top teams in the nation,” former NFL quarterback Robert Griffin III posted on X on April 25. “Now he will be charged with helping to create a pass rush with the impossible task of replacing Aaron Donald’s production. Jared Verse about to have NFL OL SINGING THE BLUES.”
Donald contemplated retirement for some time before making it official this offseason.
He leaves with 111 career sacks in 10 seasons, including 8.0 in 2023. His departure seemed to signal the need for a 1-for-1 replacement, like Texas defensive tackle Byron Murphy II.
However, Rams general manager Les Snead noted that Kobie Turner’s versatility allowed them some flexibility. Turner was the No. 89 overall pick in the 2023 draft. He finished his rookie season with 9.0 sacks, the most for a Ram since Donald in 2014.
Verse is not the same kind of player as Donald.
Rams Getting ‘High-Impact Player’ in Jared Verse
GettyJared Verse of the Los Angeles Rams.
Listed at 6-foot-4 and 254 pounds, he is more of an edge rusher who can slide inside on passing downs than someone who routinely flips between the two roles.
NFL.com’s Lance Zierlein called Verse a “high-impact” player.
“Talented edge defender with the field demeanor, athleticism and skill set to rack up statistics in key categories fairly early in his NFL career,” Zierlein wrote. “Verse dominated at Albany and then showed an ability to do the same at Florida State. He’s twitchy and compact, with explosiveness featured at the point of attack and in his upfield burst as a pass rusher.
“Great with his hands and does a nice job of diagnosing plays quickly and staying out of the clinches of offensive linemen looking to snatch him up. Verse’s ability to threaten the edge only bolsters his hellish speed-to-power bull-rushing ability to run tackles deep into the pocket. He can play up or down and should be in consideration for all defensive schemes looking to add a safe, high-impact edge.”
Kobie Turner Reached Out to Jared Verse
GettyKobie Turner #91 of the Los Angeles Rams.
The transition from college to the NFL can be a daunting one. Turner made it look easy, especially considering his draft slot. He is doing his part to ensure Verse’s transition goes as smoothly as possible.
“‘Woo!!!’ Jared Verse says this is a ‘dream come true,’” The Athletic’s Jourdan Rodrigue reported on X. “Kobie Turner has already reached out.”
This is encouraging for LA with Donald’s departure creating a leadership void on defense.
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