he 2024 NFL Draft is getting close, making it an excellent time to highlight some of the class' best players with scouting reports. Each report will include strengths, weaknesses and background information.
Here's our report on Jared Verse.
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.
Verse began his college career at Albany playing for two years before transferring to Florida State for the 2022 season. He was named First-Team All-American in 2022 and Second-Team All-American in 2023. Verse had 18 QB sacks and 29.5 TFL in his two seasons at Florida State, despite coming out of high school in Ohio as an unranked player by recruiting services.
In 2022, Verse lined up at three-technique/4i depending on Florida State’s front alignments. He was deployed at times as the looper in long inside stunts.
In 2023, Verse again lined up in multiple positions along FSU’s defensive front, including coming inside at three-technique. Verse showed an outstanding swipe move versus LSU left tackle Matt Campbell to remove Campbell’s outside arm, clear the edge and sack Jayden Daniels.
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