Jared Verse teases upcoming decision on eve of one-year anniversary since committing to FSU
Underclassmen across college football have roughly ten more days until the deadline to declare for the 2023 NFL Draft - Monday, January 16.
At this point, Florida State is just waiting for one more defensive star, Jared Verse, to announce what path he'll be taking in 2023. There are two options on the table for the breakout defensive end; pursue a professional career or return to Tallahassee for a run at a National Championship.
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On Friday afternoon, Verse teased Seminole fans about his upcoming decision on the eve of the one-year anniversary since he committed to the program.
"A year ago tomorrow I made one of the best decisions of my life and came to Florida State University. That time went bye so fast."
Does that mean Verse could publicly unveil his future plans on Saturday? It seems like a possibility.
After all, as he stated, the Pennsylvania native originally pledged to Florida State on January 7, 2022. At the time, it was a big win for the Seminoles over multiple other programs for a coveted transfer. However, Verse ended up providing an even bigger impact during his first season with the program than anyone expected when he arrived from FCS Albany.
Verse appeared in 12 games, with nine starts, totaling 48 tackles, 17 tackles for loss, nine sacks, a fumble recovery, and a blocked kick. He recorded at least 0.5 tackles for loss or 0.5 sacks in every contest that he finished in 2022. Verse was named First-Team All-ACC following his standout season.
The 6-foot-4, 248-pound defensive end saved arguably his best performance for last as Verse recorded seven tackles, 2.5 tackles for loss, and 1.5 sacks in the Cheez-It Bowl victory against Oklahoma. Following the win, he reflected on his first season with the Seminoles.
"It meant a lot to finally go out there, end the season the way we wanted it to," Verse said after the game. "At the beginning of the season, we had a couple hard losses where we could have done this or that to be a little bit better."
"Just the one thing, I am grateful for Coach Norvell. He has not lied to me once. Like I said, multiple times, he sat down with me and he told me he would give me his best," Verse continued. "He has not stopped since then. Like all today, and the first day since I got here, he has given me his best. I have tried my hardest to give him the same in return. This is the best decision I have made in my life."
If Verse decides to return to Florida State, an experienced defense grows even stronger and he'll have an opportunity to grow into a consensus top-10 selection.
During his four-year college career at Florida State and Albany, Verse has appeared in 27 games, with 21 starts, totaling 123 tackles, 37.5 tackles for loss, 23.5 sacks, two forced fumbles, one pass deflection, and a blocked kick.
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