Rams News: Early Los Angeles Draft Pick Considered Major Steal

Did Los Angeles find a keeper in its 10-man haul?

Dec 25, 2022; Inglewood, California, USA; The Los Angeles Rams logo. / Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports

The Los Angeles Rams enjoyed a deep run in the 2024 NFL Draft last week, ultimately selected 10 intriguing rookie prospects.

So who among the new faces is looking like a keeper, and has the best value relative to where he was picked?

Surprisingly, to hear Jourdan Rodrigue of The Athletic tell it, L.A.'s first round pick, former Florida State EDGE Jared Verse, was a steal himself by falling to No. 19 in the draft.

"Verse will be expected to start right away, and in seeing him in person at the Rams’ draft house in Hermosa Beach, Calif., it’s clear why he will fit in on an NFL practice field," Rodrigue writes. "He has a huge frame — he is built more like a pure defensive end than an outside linebacker, although the Rams will start him out as a true edge — and a larger-than-life personality with energy to match. The Rams’ biggest need in the previous two offseasons (until Verse’s arrival) was a second outside pass rusher."

Verse, 23, is an athletic, 6-foot-4, 260-pound defensive edge. With the 13-1 Seminoles last fall, he notched 41 tackles (23 solo, 18 assisted), a whopping nine sacks, one forced fumble, one recovered fumble, and two pass deflections.

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