Turf Show Times
Rams edge rusher Jared Verse dominated as a rookie, but can he take the next step?
The Los Angeles Rams lucked into one of the best defenders of the 2024 NFL Draft last season when they selected edge rusher Jared Verse with the 19th overall pick. It was a mild surprise that the Rams were able to select Verse at 19 given his talent. However, with the focus on offensive players at the top of the first round, Verse fell right into the Rams’ lap.
Verse had a fantastic season for a rookie edge rusher and entered the conversation as one of the better players at his position in the NFL. His true pressure score of 52.5 and 34 high-quality pressured trailed only Myles Garrett on the edge. He also led the NFL with 6.4 snaps per pressure. Since PFF started tracking pressures in 2006, Verse’s 77 pressures as a rookie in 2024 were fewer than only Nick Bosa’s 80 as a rookie in 2019.
While Verse had an impressive rookie season, he’ll be expected to build on that and continue to take steps forward in his development. There are still things he’ll need to improve and that will include building up his pass rush toolbox. As a rookie, his bull rush ability and his pure power were exceptional.
Still, Verse went eight consecutive starts at the end of the season without getting to the quarterback because he was a power-first edge rusher. Sacks can be a luck-based stat and Verse was still getting pressure on the quarterback. With that said, he could diversify his pass rush arsenal. Verse’s 64.7 percent bull rush rate and 69.1 percent power move rate led the NFL.
James Foster from the Wide Left Substack recently charted edge rushers and their pass rush moves. Said Foster on Verse,
“In 2024, Verse had the most power pressures (47) and the highest power rate (69.1%) of any of the 121 seasons in my database. He’s the epitome of a one-dimensional (complementary) pass rusher, who can rely on one dominant go-to move for the bulk of his production. Verse led NFL edge rushers in total pressures (89) and ranked sixth in pass-rush win rate (19.7%), so his lack of a diverse moveset isn’t holding him back too much, but adding a more dependable stab-chop could elevate his game further. Verse is also a good reminder of the translatability of power from college to the NFL.”
This isn’t a knock on Verse as he was also a power-rush player at Florida State. He’s always had the ability to turn speed to power and affect the pocket. His strength is the foundation of his game and at times it can be devastating for offensive tackles to handle. At the same time, he seems to have an over-reliance on turning speed to power which is partially why his sack production dropped over the second half of the season.
Verse is never going to be a Von Miller or Nik Bonnito...
