While the Los Angeles Rams' 2024 season has been incredibly up and down in 2024, one of the consistently bright spots has been the play of Jared Verse, the team's first first-round pick since all the way back in 2016 when they drafted Jared Goff first overall.
Immediately stepping into the starting lineup alongside his fellow FSU product Braden Fiske and second-year stars like Byron Young and Kobie Turner, Verse has hit the ground running, amassing 2.5 sacks, a forced fumble, and 29 combined tackles while being on the field for 73 percent of the Rams' defensive snaps.
But Vere's impact hasn't just been in terms of production, as in his Friday media session after a Thursday Night Football victory, Sean McVay celebrated the 19th overall pick for his ability to fire up the troops as a vocal on-field leader the likes of which LA hasn't employed since Aaron Donald and Jalen Ramsey.
“I love it. That was one of my favorite things about him coming out of Florida State. He's a man, and he's a bully on the field, and he gets going. He likes to talk s***. He likes to have fun. He likes to compete. He plays with a style of play that I very much am in alignment with,” McVay told reporters.
“We won't want to do it in the right way, but I love what this guy brings to our team. He brings an edge. He brings an energy and a toughness. He's got some s*** to him that I really like. That's been big for our defense. I think guys feed off that and it's a good thing. You need some guys like that. [Former Rams DT] Aaron [Donald] had that to him too. He just might not have talked as loud, but the way he would stare a hole through people they knew. [Former Rams CB Jalen] Ramsey was like that. Sometimes those best defensive players, they have some stuff to them that you're like oh man, we need that. You need that edge, that energy, that swagger and Jared Verse definitely has that.”
Well, you know, placing Verse in the same company as Ramsey and Donald is about as high praise as an LA coach could give, as they almost certainly go down as the two best defensive players to suit up for McVay during his tenure with the Rams. Then again, considering where Verse is now and how high his ceiling can be at the NFL level, it's clear McVay sees something great in the FSU product, as he wouldn't have spent so much time celebrating his if he wasn't.
Sean McVay credits Jared Verse's mindset for his Rams' success.
Asked what about Verse has made him so effective right out of the gate as a rookie, McVay identified one thing above all others: his growth mindset.
“No, I think it's his mindset. I think it's his confidence and just mental toughness. I think he loves to compete and all the things. I would just say this is a rookie that plays the game like a grown man. I think that's accelerated his impact. What I think's been really cool is, while you guys might not see it even though he was making some splash plays, over the last couple weeks he's played as disciplined as he's played, even though he still is impacting the game in tremendous ways,” McVay declared.
“There were some other times where it's saying you do that, but you're actually hurting our defense here. He's starting to understand the importance of where my play arise or when are some of these opportunities with taking calls or different things like that. [Outside Linebackers Coach] Joe Coniglio has done a great job. I think Michael Hoecht's leadership in that room has been really impactful, but Jared Verse is a stud. He's only going to continue to get better, and I love what he brings to our group.”
Through seven games, Verse has been incredibly productive for the Rams, ranking 12 against the run, 19th against the pass, and 13th overall among edge rushers, according to Pro Football Focus. If this is how good he's playing now, imagine how much better he could become if his arrow continues to point straight up.