Florida State star regarded as top returning edge-rusher for 2023 season by PFF
Reynolds. Boulware. Simon. Simmons. Haggins. Wadsworth. Dockett. Walker. Burns. Johnson. Excellence has been the standard for defensive linemen at Florida State, and the list is endless. (I definitely missed your favorite, so let me know on social media who belongs on the list as well). Even amidst the program’s troubles, that standard has persisted throughout. Since taking over at FSU, Head Coach Mike Norvell has worked diligently alongside Coach Odell Haggins to load the defensive line with talent from both the transfer portal and the recruiting trail.
The Seminoles now have a prime opportunity to continue that standard of excellence in Norvell’s fourth year. The entirety of the college football landscape is taking notice of Florida State’s talent-filled roster, and one of the Seminoles' brightest defensive linemen is a name at the top of nearly every list.
On Friday, PFF released analyst Max Chadwick’s list of “Top 10 returning edge rushers for the 2023 season.” The list featured some of the nation’s best pass rushers: Washington’s Bralen Trice; Penn State’s Chop Robinson; Alabama’s Dallas Turner; Georgia’s Mikel Williams; Ohio State's J.T. Tuimoloau; UCLA's Laiatu Latu; Oregon's Brandon Dorlus; UCLA's Gabriel Murphy; and Princely Umanmielen from the University of Florida. The top spot, however, belongs to Florida State’s very own Jared Verse.
Jared Verse’s story has been told time and again, sounding like a Hollywood script by now. As the story goes, the young 6-foot-2, 205 pound tight end received zero FBS scholarship offers out of high school, but an offensive line coach at Albany presented Verse with a plan to shape him into a formidable pass rusher beginning in his redshirt freshman year, to which Verse agreed. Jared Verse returned home in March of 2020 amidst the COVID-19 lockdown and he spent all of that time perfecting his craft. With the aid of his parents, Verse committed himself to a strict workout regimen that saw him put on 40 pounds before returning to Albany in January of 2021.
Fast forward to October of 2021, and Florida State defensive coordinator, Adam Fuller, was watching Syracuse film to prepare for FSU’s upcoming matchup against the Orange. Immediately, Fuller took notice of one Jared Verse imposing his will on the Syracuse offensive line and knew the Seminoles would have to get into the mix should the defensive end ever enter the transfer portal. However, the ‘Noles were not alone in their efforts, because when Verse announced his intentions to transfer at season’s end, more than 30 FBS programs extended offers to the defensive lineman. When the dust of his recruiting frenzy finally settled, Jared Verse elected to transfer to Florida State over the rest.
Throughout the 2022 season, the athletic, agile defensive end commanded the attention of offensive lines week in and week out. He recorded 47 total tackles, 22 of which were solo tackles, 9 sacks, and 1 fumble recovery. Despite spending some time sidelined with injuries, Verse received First-team All-American and First-team All-ACC honors, and NFL Draft boards took notice with some projections listing him as high as #11 among all draft prospects. Despite a soaring draft stock, Jared Verse announced in November of 2022 that he would forego the NFL draft and return to Florida State for the 2023 season. He returns to lead one of the nation's top defensive lines that features the likes of Fabien Lovett, Patrick Payton, and Darrell Jackson to name a few.
Jared Verse and the rest of the Florida State Seminoles will have an opportunity to showcase their talents at the Spring Game come April 15th. Until then, the excitement and anticipation of a promising 2023 campaign will continue to grow, and we'll be here to cover it.
READ MORE: Florida State's full 2023 football schedule released
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