Florida State defensive end regarded as first-round prospect by ESPN's Todd McShay
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Teams across college football are approaching the middle of their respective seasons and the 2023 NFL Draft is nearly six months away. Buzz is building for a couple of Seminoles to make the leap to the professional level following the year but the light is shining the brightest on defensive end Jared Verse.
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After transferring from the FCS to FBS over the offseason, Verse didn't miss a beat in his transition to taking on the top talent in the sport. His impact off the edge has been noticable to Florida State fans. Scouts and analysts are starting to become more privy to Verse as well.
On Wednesday, ESPN's Todd McShay released his rankings for the top-32 prospects in the upcoming draft. Interestingly enough, Verse slotted in at No. 29 overall with a grade of 85. The snippet on Verse is below, CLICK HERE to read the full article.
"Verse has been a big riser in the 2023 class after transferring in from Albany, piling up four sacks and nine pressures through four games. He has great suddenness and closing burst off the edge, and I've been really impressed with his nose for the ball and relentless motor. He was dominant in a September win over LSU, getting two sacks and six pressures."
The Ohio native was limited to 23 snaps in Florida State's loss to Wake Forest but he still recorded four tackles, 2.5 tackles for loss, and a sack. Head coach Mike Norvell said on Wednesday that the Seminoles expect Verse to play more on Saturday night when the team travels to No. 14 North Carolina State.
On the season, Verse has totaled 13 tackles, 6.5 tackles for loss, 4 sacks, and a blocked field goal. He slots in as the No. 6 defensive end/outside linebacker on McShay's list, which would net him a first round selection.
The 6-foot-4, 251-pound defensive end's story is similar to that of former star pass-rusher, Jermaine Johnson. The Georgia transfer developed into a standout at Florida State and was selected in the opening round of the 2022 NFL Draft by the New York Jets.
It was unexpected coming into the season but Verse has shown the potential to follow in his footsteps.
READ MORE: Florida State releases Depth Chart for North Carolina State Wolfpack
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