2023 NFL Draft: Former FCS Standout Looks Like A First-Round Lock

Formerly playing for Albany, Florida State Seminoles' defensive lineman Jared Verse is making his case to be selected in the first round of the NFL Draft.

The Albany Great Danes produced one of the better pass-rushers we could see in the 2023 NFL Draft. After spending two seasons with the team (redshirted the first year), Jared Verse finds himself in several headlines for the Florida State Seminoles.

Looking back at his time with the Great Danes, he recorded 74 total tackles, 21.5 for a loss, 14.5 sacks, 15 quarterback hurries, one pass breakup, and two forced fumbles in a total of 15 games. In his final season, which was his breakout year, he was a First-Team All-Conference selection and FCS Freshman All-American.

This level of play at the FCS level garnered attention from tremendous programs like LSU, Oklahoma, USC, Florida and Texas, but ultimately chose Florida State.

Fuller says that Jared Verse gets the edge on offensive tackles a lot and that all they can do is grab him and hold him.

"He plays the game the right way and he's someone we rely on to make impact plays."

— Curt Weiler (@CurtMWeiler) October 10, 2022

After racking up 9.5 total sacks and 52 total tackles in 2021 for the FCS-level Great Danes, Verse is looking to make a name for himself in the FBS with his new team. Solely looking at his stats, Verse has had no problem adjusting to the spike in talent that a team like the Seminoles face. Each week he seemingly finds a way to make his mark on the contest, specifically against LSU, where he was constantly in the backfield and registered two sacks and 2.5 tackles for a loss.

READ MORE: Jared Verse, Defensive Lineman, Florida State Seminoles Scouting Report

After landing in the first round of the latest 2023 NFL Mock Draft, of course, we had to dive deeper into his game, as should everyone.

Verse's measurements show that he has the ideal size for a defensive end, standing around six-foot-three and weighing around 245-pounds, with a wingspan of nearly 80-inches. He uses that length to keep offensive linemen away from his chest and a vicious punch to knock them back. Pairing that with his red-hot motor to track down ball carriers makes him a menace for offensive coordinators to scheme against.

Verse still has work to do to build his pass-rushing arsenal, but his combination of speed and power is already evident and will be an NFL coaches dream to help develop him into a premiere pass rusher. 

Take note - Don't be surprised if you hear his name called in the first round of the NFL Draft. 

Florida State DE Jared Verse is listed as the No.2 defensive end, and No.29 overall prospect in the 2023 NFL Draft, per ESPN’s Mel Kiper. @FSUFootball

— MAX (@maxescarpio) October 12, 2022

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