Rams 1st pick (19) is Jared Verse

How Los Angeles Rams’ busy first round led to Jared Verse, their definition of ‘defense’

Jourdan Rodrigue

https://theathletic.com/5447864/2024/04/26/jared-verse-los-angeles-rams-nfl-draft-pick/

HERMOSA BEACH, Calif. — As pick after pick came off the board, Los Angeles Rams outside linebackers coach Joe Coniglio, initially sitting on a low couch in front of the television broadcast in the lower level of the team’s draft house, got up and began to pace.

The first round of the 2024 NFL Draft featured a unique opening run on offensive players. That left top pass rushers Jared Verse and Dallas Turner on the board as the Rams’ pick inched closer.

Suddenly, Minnesota traded up to No. 17. Coniglio speed-walked up two levels of stairs and into the war room where coach Sean McVay, general manager Les Snead and others held operations. The Vikings selected Turner, and the Rams — after an anxious few moments as the Cincinnati Bengals picked at No. 18 — sent their pick in for Verse at No. 19. Coniglio and defensive coordinator Chris Shula walked back downstairs, shouting, fist-pumping and back-slapping other coaches.

Verse’s energy matched theirs.

“This is a dream come true, a dream come true, woo!” Verse said, speaking with reporters shortly after the pick. “It’s time to work. It’s time to show them they ain’t make a mistake, it’s time to show them what we do. I’m excited (to) get to work. … I’m ready for it.”

Verse, who excelled with back-to-back nine-sack seasons in 2022 and 2023 at Florida State, is the Rams’ first opening-round draft pick since they selected Jared Goff in 2016.

To the Rams, Verse — their highest defensive draft pick since retired star Aaron Donald was selected at No. 13 in 2014 — filled the combination of best player available and biggest need. He is expected to start immediately opposite second-year pass rusher Byron Young and with second-year defensive lineman Kobie Turner on the interior. Turner already reached out to Verse.

“Kobie was the first one, real quick. He texted me to let him know if I needed anything,” he said. “He reached out to me, ‘Don’t hesitate.’ And I’m going to take him up on that offer. He’s gonna regret saying that to me.”

Verse met privately with the Rams this week (he did not have any formal meetings or workouts with the team, which Snead said was intentional to keep their interest under the radar). Team sources said he was one of their top overall prospects. On Thursday, the Rams called multiple teams to gather intel on what the prices would be to trade up or down, including a conversation with a team in the top 10 that could have led to selecting an offensive player.

Team and league sources believed those costs to be too high, especially with multiple other teams trying to trade into that group and therefore driving up the cost. The Rams did not get on the phones as the last few picks of the top 10 unfolded, a source said.

“Offense definitely pushed defense our way,” Snead said. “We always felt like Jared had a chance to get there, but there was definitely a chance for him to go right before us depending on how that whole thing shook out. I think that heavy offensive, six QBs going, helped Jared get to us.”

As the board fell in rare fashion — 14 offensive players were selected before a single defensive player, including six quarterbacks — the Rams prepared to possibly trade back from No. 19. Having two of the top pass rushers clustered so closely motivated them to stay put, and they were rewarded with Verse.

Verse immediately will lend size, power and high-end energy to a pass rush that was woefully incomplete last season. One scout compared Verse’s attacking, ceaseless play style to former Rams outside linebacker Leonard Floyd, although Verse has more bulk around his frame, and the scout believed Verse’s power will complement Young’s speed.

Verse initially will play edge/outside linebacker, but McVay noted Verse eventually could play over a guard.

“You can tell he cares about football, he has fun playing football, and oh, by the way, he’s pretty disruptive and violent,” Snead said. “You think ‘defense,’ the way he plays is next to the word in the dictionary.”

Verse will arrive in Los Angeles in the coming days and said he’s ready to hit the field right away.

“What I’m going to give (to the Rams) is a dawg,” Verse said. “I come in with a lot of physical strength, I come in with a chip on my shoulder, and that chip is going to continue today. … I’m hungry. I need this. This is my lifestyle, how I do everything. It’s how I execute. The thing I’m going to be able to give them is that work.”

The “bendy” bit has to do with attacking a blocker as a pass rusher. Robert Quinn had that; Kevin Greene didn’t.

A different issue is whether he is effective in space as an LB, handling the whole array of LB duties in space. I don’t know. I can only say Kevin Greene wasn’t known for that. Though I have seen Verse compared to Fowler. How good was Fowler as a traditional LB in space?

But let’s say all the Rams end up getting in Verse is a role player who comes in to play DE (or DT) on obvious passing downs. Well–truth is, they didn’t even have that. And from all reports he would be superlative in that role. He’s not just power and speed either. He does have some decent technique and an absolutely relentless motor.

But you know in terms of weaknesses…Verse actually has a bit more going for him athletically than TJ Watt does. Here’s a report from 2017 of Watt’s shortcomings. The red bits are things also said about Verse, more or less. The blue bits are areas where Verse is actually better athletically (on paper anyway):

Not overly twitched-up as an athlete. Short strider who lacks explosion out of stance and up the field to bend the edge as a pass rusher. Foot quickness is average and needs to win with technique and great hand play. Won’t generate enough acceleration to crank up speed-to-power rush with consistency. Plays with a narrow base. Needs to play with more consistent bend to play through redirection by offensive line.

#19 Rams
Jared Verse brings it on every play. See him as a 7-9 sack per year guy but also sound in run game. Bunch of young guys in that front 7 as the post-Donald era begins

— Chris Simms (@CSimmsQB) April 26, 2024

..

Jared Verse will be a great asset against the run game!

The Rams found themselves getting gashed at times last season, but Verse has a proven track record being stout and forcing his way to negate the run.

A 2 way player for sure pic.twitter.com/qlGadLvPt5

— RAMS ON FILM (@RamsOnFilm) April 26, 2024

from https://www.the33rdteam.com/jared-verse-2024-nfl-draft-combine-results-scouting-report-for-los-angeles-rams-edge/

Jared Verse 2024 NFL Draft: Combine Results, Scouting Report For Los Angeles Rams Edge

JARED VERSE 2024 NFL DRAFT SCOUTING REPORT

STRENGTHS

• Sudden and twitchy off the ball with excellent get-off and velocity generating speed-to-power with leverage.
• Generated power on pass rush off his second step, getting inside and driving through and lifting the offensive tackle, gaining ground.
• Tightly wound, with strength and power throughout his body. Strong core with short area explosion and power.
• Played a power game with the short area strength to jar offensive tackles off the ball and the power to drive them back.
• Fired off the ball with explosiveness and quick, active, dynamic hands. Twitchy feel to his overall movement.
• Showed pass rush plan off staple speed-to-power, with a quick cross-face inside counter and outside hand swipe.
• There were edge pass rush snaps where he showed more than functional ankle flexion to clear the arc and flatten his path.
• Showed a quick arm-over move to beat offensive tackles. Excellent short-area quickness with balance and body control.
• On pass rush snaps, he showed effective hand moves to win, then cleared the edge, flattened and closed with speed.
• Foundation of his game as a run defender and pass rusher is his strong, powerful hands and great functional strength.
• Made plays in pursuit outside the box with outstanding play speed and range. Competitive playing personality.
• In 2023, his first-step explosiveness as a pass rusher was high-level. There were no wasted steps, allowing him to attack the edge.
• Showed effective swipe moves as an edge pass rusher to remove the hands of offensive tackles and open the edge to gain leverage.
• Outstanding balance and body control as an edge rusher. Did not slow down or lose speed at the top of the pass rush arc.
• Flexibility at the top of the pass rush arc to turn off his inside foot and flatten his rush path with burst to the quarterback.
• Physical component to his game. Worked through contact effectively with a combination of strength and tenacity.
• Showed devastating speed-to-power with the contact strength and movement power to drive offensive tackles into the pocket.
• Strength and hand quickness to play off contact in the run game and make plays. Good short area quickness.

WEAKNESSES

• 2022 tape did not show a bendy, flexible athlete who could bend off contact and flatten his rush path to the QB.
• Needs to continue to develop a wider array of moves as an edge pass rusher. Cannot rely solely on speed-to-power.
• In 2023, he showed a tendency to take false steps when aligned in a two-point stance. More comfortable in a three-point stance.
• Tendency to drop his head and use the crown of his helmet to attack with speed-to-power. Could be a concern in the NFL.
• A little tight in his movement. More straight-line linear than naturally bendy and flexible. Can get stuck at times.
• Did not look comfortable dropping into underneath zone coverage, which likely limits his deployment in the NFL.

Verse is one of the best edge pass rush prospects in the 2024 NFL Draft. He may be the most powerful of the top prospects. Verse’s game is built on strength and power through his body, with short stroke power in confined compact space. He has strong hands with the short area explosion to jar offensive tackles and the accelerating power to drive them back into the pocket, as seen on his sacks versus Florida and Louisville.

Verse was at his best with his hand in the ground in a three-point stance. When he got off the ball with no false steps or wasted motion, he showed both exceptional first step explosiveness to immediately challenge the high side of the offensive tackle at the top of the arc. He also showed devastating speed-to-power conversion to attack the center of the offensive tackle.

What stood out with Verse as a pass rusher is that he was purposeful, with a plan to attack and set up left tackles to get them out of phase and just off balance enough that he could then execute his speed-to-power rush. He did not need a runway to generate power. He was able to do so in a confined amount of space.

While Verse is not stiff, he is a little high-cut and does not possess elite bend and flexibility. At times, that resulted in getting stuck when the speed-to-power conversion was stopped by the offensive tackle. It also showed up at times when he looked to work the high side of the offensive tackle. He just didn’t have the hip and core flexibility to clear the arc.

Verse is a stronger and better version of Kayvon Thibodeaux in that both players’ games are built more on straight-line linear power and not flexibility and bend. This flattens their rush path to the quarterback, but Verse is much more physical and violent and a better overall prospect.

Verse would project and transition best to the next level as a defensive end in a 4-3 front where he could line up in a three-point stance. He has the pass rush traits to move inside to three-technique in sub fronts where he also showed the speed-to-power conversion versus guards and centers. 

from https://theathletic.com/5426661/2024/04/27/los-angeles-rams-2024-draft-picks-grades-scouting-reports/

No. 19: Jared Verse, edge, Florida State

Dane Brugler’s analysis

When he channels his relentless energy, Verse is as disruptive as anyone in this class, because of his explosive get-off, power through his frame and NFL-quality hand use. His physical traits and competitive football temperament give him a high floor as an NFL starter (reminiscent of eight-year NFL veteran Dante Fowler).

from https://www.the33rdteam.com/2024-nfl-draft-ranking-7-best-pass-rushers-in-this-years-class/

JARED VERSE, FLORIDA STATE

Jared Verse starts the list of the 6.7 and above grades that represent true three-down starting edge rushers. Originally starting in the FCS ranks at Albany, Verse made the jump to Florida State in 2022 and immediately stood out.

In 2023, he ranked third among edge prospects in SIS’s Pressure Rate Above Expectation stat, which adjusts pressure rate for game situations and the player’s alignment.

SIS scout Nathan Cooper gave Verse a 7 in pass rush, hand use, play strength and pass rush repertoire. He also wrote, “Verse is a top-tier pass rusher with heavy hands and a bag of tricks that makes it difficult for linemen to block him.”

from https://www.the33rdteam.com/2024-nfl-draft-ranking-top-11-edge-rushers-prospects/

Jared Verse Verse projects as a high-end starting edge rusher who fits best in an even front where he can rush with his hand in the ground, but there really isn’t a reason he can’t stand up on the edge as well. His pass rush ability is already at a very good level and with a little refinement and coaching at the next level, it can become elite.

On third downs, he’ll be most effective and do the most damage with his power and repertoire as a wide-9 on the edge. He could also reduce down inside to use his length on interior linemen. He can stand in here and there on special teams, but with stamina, motor and tackling concerns, it’s likely not something to waste reps on.

From https://www.nfldraftbuzz.com/Player/Jared-Verse-DE-FloridaState

SCOUTING REPORT: STRENGTHS

Verse brings a seasoned pass-rush plan to the table, executing a myriad of initial and counter moves with polished technique and shrewd decision-making.
The explosive first step is a cornerstone of his game, dictating pass-rush scenarios by imposing his will and disrupting offensive linemen’s rhythm off the snap.
Elite athletic skills — Made Bruce Feldman’s 2023 ‘Freaks List’ at number 26. He wrote: “another year at FSU has enabled him to continue to develop, both physically and in his on-field skill set. At 6-3 1/2, 260 pounds, Verse power-cleans 360 pounds, squats 555 and benches 455, but he also has excellent burst, running 21.14 MPH in a game with a max acceleration of 5.85m/s with a max deceleration of -6.98m/s.”
Exceptional bend and flexibility allow Verse to exploit the edge, dipping under offensive tackles and maintaining a tight, efficient path to the quarterback.
Natural athletic gifts are evident in his lateral agility, enabling effective redirection and counter moves that continue to confound protective schemes.
His functional strength shouldn’t be understated – Verse consistently delivers powerful punches and showcases the ability to hold his ground against heavier opponents.
The motor on Verse runs incessantly, reflecting a high-effort player who brings relentless energy and pursuit from snap to whistle on every down.
Hand usage is a notable strength, displaying rapid and potent strikes that effectively navigate through opposing linemen’s blocks to disrupt the backfield.
A hallmark of his game, the palpable explosiveness, permeates through his every move, asserting dominance in gap penetration and providing a perpetual disruptive presence.

SCOUTING REPORT: WEAKNESSES

Verse, while maintaining exterior leverage, occasionally overshoots, enabling offensive schemes to exploit created lanes, undermining the run defense’s integrity and effectiveness.
Despite a robust and physical approach to run defense, there’s a discernible lack of control in his tackling, often resulting in missed opportunities in the backfield.
While the collegiate tackle-for-loss numbers are there, skepticism arises regarding the translatability of those statistics to the NFL, demanding further refinement in his approach.
Anticipation and mental processing in run scenarios require elevation; enhancing block recognition and reactionary quickness out of his stance remains a pivotal area for development.
Verse’s effective hand usage in pass-rush scenarios demands translation into run defense, ensuring that generated power and jolt are equivalently impactful across all play types.