Florida State football: Defensive end Jared Verse declares for NFL Draft

An incredibly bright future awaits!

• By
  
  NoleThruandThru
  
• on December 19, 2023 3:40 pm

Florida State star defensive end Jared Verse has declared his intentions to forgo his remaining collegiate eligibility in order to enter the NFL Draft, opting out of FSU’s matchup in the Orange Bowl vs. the Georgia Bulldogs:

Verse transferred to FSU from Albany and immediately caught the attention of college football fans everywhere, racking up nine sacks and 48 tackles, including 17 for loss. He also blocked a field goal and forced a fumble. He was named a First Team All-American by The Athletic and First Team All-ACC.

This season saw Verse take on double teams nearly every down, and he evolved his skill set to contribute in new ways. He accumulated nine more sacks, 12.5 tackles for loss as part of 41 total tackles, another blocked kick, a forced fumble, and a fumble recovery. He also pulled off the vaunted offensive tackle pancake-quarterback sack combination in back to back games:

Verse finishes his FSU career as one of the most dominant defensive linemen in the Mike Norvell era. Perhaps even more impactful, impact players transitioning from lower levels of college football are now looked at as potentially becoming the next Jared Verse. He has given hope to many of those players who dream of competing at the highest levels of college football.

This is an expected departure, as Verse’s goal was to bet on himself and test the draft waters after 2023. He is expected to be selected in the first or second round, with some mock drafts placing him as high as a top 15 pick.

FSU Bio from Seminoles.com

2022:

Played in 12 games with nine starts…recorded 48 tackles, including 17.0 for loss with 9.0 sacks, three quarterback hurries, one fumble recovery and one blocked field goal…named first-team All-American by The Athletic…Phil Steele third-team All-American…first-team All-ACC…received most All-ACC votes on defense…FSU Defensive MVP…only player in ACC and one of two Power 5 defenders nationally with four games of 2.5 tackles for loss in 2022…ACC-best average of 0.75 sacks per game ranked 17th nationally…ranked second in ACC and 10th nationally with average of 1.4 tackles for loss per game…had at least 0.5 tackles for loss in every game he finished…registered season-high seven tackles, 2.5 for loss with 1.5 sack, in 35-32 Cheez-It Bowl victory vs. Oklahoma…teamed with Dennis Briggs Jr. for sack on final play of game to secure victory…recorded three tackles, 2.5 for loss with career-high-tying 2.0 sacks, and one blocked field goal in 24-23 win vs. LSU…blocked 30-yard field goal to keep FSU ahead 7-3 in second quarter…made sack on LSU’s final drive of each half…named ACC Defensive Lineman of the Week for his performance vs. Tigers…recorded four tackles, 2.5 for loss with 1.0 sack, vs. No. 22 Wake Forest…played only 23 snaps vs. Demon Deacons while returning from injury…made two solo stops, including 12-yard sack, and one fumble recovery returned 10 yards in 45-3 victory at Miami…fumble recovery ended Hurricanes drive at 6-yard line in UM’s only trip to red zone…registered five tackles, 2.5 for loss with 0.5 sack, in 41-16 win vs. Georgia Tech…recorded five tackles, 0.5 for loss, and two quarterback hurries in 45-38 victory vs. Florida…had five tackles, 1.0 for loss, and one quarterback hurry at No. 14 NC State…made five tackles, 1.0 for loss, vs. No. 4 Clemson…had four tackles, 1.5 for loss with 1.0 sack, in season-opening 47-7 win vs. Duquesne…registered four tackles, 1.0 sack, in 38-3 win at Syracuse…had two tackles, including 1.0 sack, in 49-17 win vs. Louisiana…made two tackles at Louisville before exiting in first half due to injury…missed 44-14 win vs. Boston College due to injury.

BEFORE FSU:

Appeared in 15 games over two seasons at Albany, recording 74 tackles, including 21.5 for loss with 14.5 sacks, 15 quarterback hurries, two forced fumbles and one pass breakup…first-team all-conference selection and FCS Freshman All-American in fall 2021 after registering 53 tackles, 11.5 for loss with 10.5 sacks, 13 quarterback hurries, one forced fumble and one pass breakup…earned CAA Defensive Rookie of the Year honors in spring 2021…was second-team all-conference selection and Jerry Rice Award finalist after recording 22 tackles, including 10.0 for loss with 4.0 sacks, and one forced fumble in four games played…led Colonial Athletic Association in tackles for loss and tied for second in sacks…made career-high 10 tackles vs. Stony Brook in first collegiate start…redshirted 2019 season…three-time All-PHAC athlete at Central Columbia…played both sides his senior year, registering 14 tackles with three forced fumbles and 15 receptions for 385 yards at tight end…also played basketball and ran track for Bluejays…won state championship as part of 4×400 relay team.

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