After spending the majority of his adult life coaching in the NFL, Los Angeles Rams head coach Sean McVay has seen plenty of exciting young players, from the rise of Aaron Donald to Jalen Ramsey's elevation from elite prospect to legitimate Defensive Player of the Year candidate on the way to a Super Bowl win.
But what does McVay think of Jared Verse through his first three games at the NFL level? Well, the Rams head coach was asked that very question during his media availability and let it be known that thus far, the Florida State product has been as advertised.
“He is really coachable. He is so conscientious. [Outside Linebackers Coach] Joe Coniglio does a good job with that group. He didn't hesitate yesterday. [He] made plays in the run,” McVay told reporters. “Shoot, even the big hit that he makes on [49ers WR] Jauan Jennings early in the game… he's a zone dropper playing visual on [49ers QB Brock] Purdy, ends up triggering. It was a really good play. [He] ended up making some impact plays in the run game and then at the end of the half to have the sack fumble, that was huge for us. He has a great motor. He's so strong at the point of attack.
Widely expected to be one of the top defensive players selected in the 2024 NFL draft, Verse is an early favorite to win Defensive Rookie of the Year for his impressive athleticism, unique burst, and ability to feature on a Rams' defensive line without Donald hogging the Hollywood spotlight down the road in Inglewood. And yet, just because Verse is off to a hot start doesn't mean he doesn't have room to improve moving forward, as McVay believes his star defender could get even better with a bit more seasoning.
Sean McVay reveals how Jared Verse can continue to grow
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Continuing with his comments on Verse's first three games in the NFL, McVay touched on how the Florida State product can continue to grow, which has more to do with his understanding of the game than his body composition.
“Physically, he has a really impressive stature, but I think he's just continuing to mature. Like I said, so conscientious. You give him some things to improve on, and he really puts the work in,” McVay noted. “To see that, have the practice preparation and the practice performance equal game reality… He was a game-ball guy for our defense. That was cool to be able to see because of some of the things that we had looked at him to be able to improve upon and he did that. Now, let's continue to use that momentum for the right reasons. [I] love ‘B.Y.' [I] was happy for him.”
Through the first two games of the 2024 NFL season, Verse has been pretty much as advertised coming out of Florida State, picking up a sack, three QB hits, and 15 tackles while playing 70 percent of the Rams' defensive snaps. With his first sack officially on the books in Week 4, it's safe to say Verse is only going to get better as he plays more snaps, as the game will only continue to slow down with more reps.
