Jared Verse scouting report: Exploring the Florida State edge defender’s strengths and weaknesses

Following a redshirt year, Jared Verse emerged as the Defensive Rookie of the Year for the Colonial Athletic Association due to his impressive performance with double-digit tackles for loss (TFLs) in four games during the spring season. His success continued into the fall, as he earned a first-team all-conference selection at Albany with 11.5 TFLs and 9.5 sacks.

After Jared Verse transferred to Florida State the next year, he quickly gained national recognition as a formidable presence on the defensive line. He recorded 48 tackles, with 17 of them resulting in a loss, along with nine sacks and a fumble recovery. As a result, he was selected for the first-team All-ACC in 2022.

Despite recording 4.5 fewer TFLs and three PBUs (compared to none) this past year, Jared Verse’s stats were still very similar, earning him all-conference honors for the second time and also receiving second-team All-American recognition.

Physical Description: Stands at 6 feet and 4 inches tall, with a weight of 250 pounds. Currently in his redshirt junior year.

Analyzing the strengths and weaknesses of Jared Verse’s game

Defensive Ground Game:

• Has wicked jolt in his hands and a strong base to set a physical edge in the run game
• Jared Verse’s power allows him to just throw off tight-ends in the run game regularly, who (excessively) lean into him
• Recognizes opportunities on the front-side of zone concepts to swipe away the hands of the tackle and wrap up ball-carriers for negative yardage
• Capable of lifting under linemen and deconstructing blocks to get involved on tackles when the ball is nearby
• There are some reps where he’s initially unblocked on the front-side, as the offense brings somebody across to kick him out and he’s up the field to create traffic, not allowing that extra gap to develop for an extra puller to lead up through
• When sealed off away from the action, Jared Verse can mash his guy into the back of other blockers and create jams in the backfield
• Can flatten down the down and chase down backs from the backside when left unblocked
• Even when the ball goes outside his vicinity, Jared Verse typically pursues it hard and gets involved on tackles late as a result

Defensive Line Pressure:

• Jared Verse’s first step off the ball really stood out, despite playing along a front with some high recruits at FSU
• There’s some apparent violence in Verse’s hands, on those chops and clubs, to knock blockers off balance with excellent hand-placement to maximize those
• Strings his upper and lower half together very well, particularly to swipe by opponents on club-rip combos
• Incorporates a nice in-and-out scissors maneuver to create a softer outside corner for himself and get home
• Does well to incorporate stutter steps and slip inside of tackles who overset to the edge and off that, he realizes when it takes guys off balance and he can ride them into the quarterback
• Has turned himself into the best pass-rusher in this class at combining pad-level and angles to shorten the corner for himself with power, regularly blowing through the best of offensive tackles, especially if they get too tall in their pass-sets
• Showcases the mental fortitude on twists and stunts to the inside, where he realizes somebody peels off to him but slide too far and can take that create between linemen, at times with a spin move
• As a redshirt sophomore and junior, his 24.4% and 21.8% pass-rush win rate ranked (tied for) fourth among Power Five edge defenders, while his total pressures increased from 36 to 62 on 124 additional opportunities (329 pass-rush snaps)
• Has built a resume of taking over games late, such as the 2022 season-opener vs. LSU, the 2023 Florida game and then the ACC Championship against Louisville, to secure an undefeated regular season for the Seminoles

Areas for Improvement:

• Isn’t one of those guys, who will stick his foot in the ground and chase down the ball on screens outside of him, whether it’s the flat-out speed or crazy effort that’d be necessary
• Has to do a better job of finishing tackles, where he leaves his feet a lot and can slip off guys – missed 21 attempted stops over his two years with FSU (23.1% miss rate)
• Lacks a little bit of ankle flexibility and looseness in his hips to flatten at the top of the rush without going through the tackle
• While the moments of dominance in certain matchups and fourth quarters are great, there were also stretches of games where his impact wasn’t felt a whole lot

Jared Verse: Top 2024 NFL Draft Prospect

If you are in search of a classic, balanced defensive end who excels in both run defense and pass rushing, Jared Verse is an excellent choice. At the combine, he ran a sub-4.6 40-yard dash at 254 pounds and recorded 31 reps on the bench press, placing second only to a 315-pound defensive tackle. This impressive feat is even more noteworthy considering Verse’s 33.5-inch arm length.

Therefore, Jared Verse is an incredibly effective pass-rusher due to his top-tier combination of length and strength, as well as his efficient approach.

Despite not frequently executing a cross-chop or quickly getting to the quarterback within the first two seconds, he is capable of disrupting the left tackle during a third-and-long situation when he takes a hitch at the top of his five-step drop.

Jared Verse’s biggest area for improvement is his footwork when wrapping up as a tackler. However, with guidance from his coaches, he can work on achieving more consistent early wins, which will enable him to control the pace of his opponents during repetitions.

I have confidence in his ability to consistently record double-digit sacks during his initial years in the league. I am also reassured by the solid foundation he offers me as a pick in the teens.

Ranking: Within the top 15.