Raiders Draft Prospect: DE Jared Verse, Florida State
The Las Vegas Raiders are preparing to add young talent to their roster through the 2024 NFL Draft.
The Raiders are looking to build on the identity Coach Antonio Pierce established in an interim capacity midway through the 2023 season. The culture of toughness and competitiveness he cultivated earned him the permanent job, much to the delight of his players.
The Raiders hired Tom Telesco to be their new general manager, so he and Pierce will work together to see which players in the draft best fit Pierce’s vision and culture.
One of those players could be Florida State defensive end Jared Verse. After three seasons at Albany, Verse joined the Seminoles as one of the most sought-after transfers in his portal cycle.
The Las Vegas Raiders could add Florida State defensive end Jared Verse in the 2024 NFL Draft.
Jim Dedmon-USA TODAY Sports
In two years in Tallahassee, Verse totaled 89 tackles, 29.5 tackles for losses, a forced fumble and 18 sacks. He was a two-time All-American and was First-Team All-ACC twice.
Verse has good size for an NFL edge rusher at 6-foot-4 and 260 pounds. The most appealing aspect of Verse as a prospect is his quickness and explosiveness. He gets off the ball quickly and converts speed-to-power to engage offensive linemen and beat them.
In addition, Verse has a strong build all the way through, both in the upper and lower body. He comes low when he comes off the snap, helping him get leverage against the player he is matched up with. He is very cerebral and meticulous in his approach to rushing the passer.
Verse is technically refined and is a fluid mover. According to Pro Football Focus, Verse generated 62 pressures in 2023, up from 36 the previous year. He generated 151 total pressures in his college career.
While he is impressive as a pass rusher, there is room for improvement as a run defender for Verse. His explosiveness off the ball is usually a good thing, but he can occasionally overshoot into the backfield and misplay the run.
Verse is arguably the best edge rushing prospect in the draft, rivaled only by Dallas Turner of Alabama and Laiatu Latu of UCLA. He is projected to be a first-round selection and could be an excellent fit in Las Vegas if he is available when the Raiders are on the board.
The NFL Draft will be held in Detroit, Mich., on April 25-27, 2024. The Las Vegas Raiders currently hold the No. 13 overall pick.
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