Analyzing one of the top edge rushers in this year’s draft
The Buffalo Bills boast needs at a multitude of positions heading into the 2024 NFL Draft. Wide receiver has been a glaring spot of emphasis recently, but that’s far from all of the team’s needs.
There should also be points of emphasis on the interior of the offensive line and across the entirety of the defensive line in addition to the overwhelming amount of receiver talk. Edge rusher is one position that has a distinguished top unit this year, but there’s some question about where the dominoes fall amongst the top group — which consists of Dallas Turner, Laiatu Latu, Jared Verse, and Chop Robinson on most consensus rankings.
Of those rankings, Turner is widely considered the favorite to go first amongst edge rushers and, in most cases, well before the Bills are set to pick at No. 28. That alone would cut down top options at the position to Verse, Latu, and Robinson (again — considering perceived consensus ranking).
There’s plenty to like about any of the other three with all having a different archetype that they offer. However, Latu was medically disqualified by Washington with a neck injury before transferring to UCLA — which, of course, cleared him to play. This is a player with a vibrant red flag in the medical department who will need to get past Bills team doctors for them to feel comfortable enough taking him in the first round. Chop Robinson is a player who transferred and had middling production with Penn State despite having good pressure numbers and spurts of excellence in certain games. Still, he amassed just 11.5 sacks in 30 college games, which is noteworthy and brings some question about his finishing ability.
Perhaps the “safest” bet of the group beyond Turner is Florida State edge rusher Jared Verse who amassed 18 sacks in 25 games with the Seminoles after a transfer up from FCS Albany. There are a lot of boxes checked for Verse to where you can see a team warm up to him pretty easily — those traits being character, production, and athleticism.
The most basic boxes are checked with Verse, but let’s dive deeper into his game to find out what the Bills could be getting in Verse if he were to be the selection at pick No. 28. For the purposes of Verse’s report, game film against Clemson, Duke, and Virginia Tech were analyzed from the 2023 season.
Jared Verse Scouting Report
Defensive end Jared Verse spent two years at Florida State after transferring from FCS Albany. He was one of the most-coveted transfer portal players in the 2021-2022 offseason. Verse enjoyed First-Team All American in 2023 to go along with First-Team All-ACC in back-to-back years (2022 and 2023). Verse was a main catalyst for one of the best teams in college football this past season, presenting a more powerful frame and coming on for a dominant stretch to end his senior year.
Verse will be coveted by NFL teams for his competitive edge, relentless pursuit, and his ability to marry athleticism with power.
Jared Verse’s 2024 NFL Scouting Combine test numbers:
- 6’4”, 254 pounds
- 4.58-second 40-yard dash
- 35” Vertical Jump
- 10’7” Broad Jump
- 7.31-second 3-Cone
- 4.44-second 20-yard shuttle
- 31 bench press reps
Positives
- Great athletic/physical profile shows up often on film
- Very good first step to initiate rush
- Speed-to-power shows often in the run and pass game
- Ability to blow blockers back to cave-in play design
- More of a ripper off the edge who wins with quick first steps and overpowering tackles who fail to get square
- Hungry run defender who plays with a refusal to lose his rep or the edge
- No play is dead to him; he’s got a motor that runs hot
- Bull in a china shop who has stopping power for dominant reps whilst putting offensive tackles and tight ends on their back side
- Cross-chop move is strong to win the outside shoulder and clear hands
Negatives
- A bit stiff-hipped; not a good bender on the edge with great flexibility
- Lack of flexibility has him overrunning the quarterback/pocket at times; despite a win, he can fail to generate true pressure
- Glimmers of dominant run-blocking losses on tape, including pancakes and complete removal from gaps; not common, but it exists
- Full arsenal of pass rush doesn’t always show itself; hands are heavy and strong, but there’s undefined chaos and the “bull in a china shop” mentality turns into a negative at times
Jared Verse: confirmed very strong pic.twitter.com/GCC1dscrQe
— Mina Kimes (@minakimes) April 14, 2024
Why Jared Verse Fits the Bills
Verse has a “process” mentality about him, the likes of which head coach Sean McDermott has preached since he arrived in Buffalo. He had to come from an FCS school while developing his body to playing at the highest level of college football, and dominating.
Verse offers the ability for the Bills to add another athletic body to the defensive end room. He offers a high floor because of his natural athletic gifts, splash plays as a run defender, and ability to affect the pocket with speed-to-power. Verse may not accrue double-digit sacks, but he’s someone you figure to rely on as a starter for the future — and he’s ready-made to contribute year one in the NFL.
Defensive end isn’t priority number-one for the Buffalo Bills in this year’s draft, but knowing they could have an immediate starter across from Greg Rousseau with veteran A.J. Epenesa providing very valuable depth for at least a couple of seasons is comforting. Verse would present value that would be challenging to pass up — and the unknown of where the pass rushers will be selected in this class provides real possibility. A relentless, powerful athlete is something that would be difficult for the team to pass on at pick 28. The Bills need young spark plugs in their lineup, and Verse fits the bill.