Rams Divisional Title Should Clinch Top Rookie Award For Jared Verse

Los Angeles Rams' outside linebacker Jared Verse has dominated offensive linemen all season.

Dec 8, 2024; Inglewood, California, USA; Los Angeles Rams linebacker Jared Verse (8) enters the field before the game against the Buffalo Bills at SoFi Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images / Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

The NFL's Defensive Rookie of the Year award is a type of positive omen over a player's career. While it can not tell the future, a fair amount of its winners have gone on to have Hall of Fame careers and for edge rushers like Verse, it should mean a lot of sacks in his future.

Several award winners include "Mean" Joe Greene, Lawrence Taylor, Derrick Thomas, and the Rams' Isaiah Robertson and Aaron Donald. It is the NFL's hardest title to achieve since players only have one shot at it and it is a pathway for players like Donald to win defensive player of the year down the road.

Verse's play has been outstanding. A highly touted pass rusher coming out of college, he has flashed the speed and power only displayed by the league's best. Verse is the current rookie leader in tackles for loss, QB pressures and QB hits. He has 4.5 sacks and his pressures have helped pave the way for fellow Rams and Florida State teammate Braden Fiske's eight sacks, a number on top of the rookie leaderboards.

Quite frankly, the only non-Ram candidates with legitamate claims are Quinyon Mitchell and Tarheeb Still. Verse has been more consistent than Mitchell, especially in big-time situations and he has a bigger impact on team defense compared to Still.

The argument comes down between Verse and Fiske. While Fiske has the greater amount of sacks, sacks are a "sexy stat" as their value for the public greatly outweighs their actual value on the field. While sacks are an extremely important stat, their value does not outweigh Verse's league-leading hits, pressures, and tackles for loss.

Along with that, it should be noted that Fiske benefits from his teammates. Often Fiske finds himself in one-on-one matchups on passing plays as both Kobie Turner and Jared Verse are often times double-teamed, leading to that advantageous matchups for Fiske.

Verse's value to the Rams is greater than any other rookie has provided for their team. He's producing at a veteran level on a rookie contract, he has led the team's young defense to holding their past three opponents to under ten points and his league-leading numbers have propelled the Rams from 1-4 to a division title.

This award is for players that instantly make their team a contender. That what Verse has done and a trip to the playoffs should just about wrap up the award for the Seminole.

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