Josh Reed is an award-winning journalist who has served as News 4's Sports Director since 2015. See more here.
30 prospects in 30 days: Florida State's Jared Verse has the hunger to become a better player
BUFFALO, N.Y. (WIVB) -- Jared Verse has been an absolute game-wrecker the last two seasons at Florida State.
The talented edge rusher racked up nine sacks in 2022 and followed that up with nine more in 2023, but before he was making a name for himself with the Seminoles, he spent one season at the University at Albany. Verse said that experience was important to his journey.
"It gave me that hunger, that's something you can't teach," Verse said. "You can't teach the grind, you can't teach the strain, you can't teach the hunger to become a better player. Every day, my strive is to become a better player. I don't ever want to remain stagnant. I just want to become a better player: faster, stronger, and become better from my time at Albany."
His talent was on full display after he transferred to Florida State for the 2022 season.
"They changed me as a player," he said. "When you watch my Albany film versus when you watch my Florida State film, it's a different person -- not because of anything physically but because of the technique."
Verse's versatility is what separates him from a lot of the other prospects.
"I've been used in the 3-technique, the 4-I, the 5, 9, whatever you need. On the tight end, off the tight end, they put me in coverage. I have a lot of experience with every position, whatever you need me to do so that shows something on film," Verse said. "'We need somebody on the third down, we need a 3-tech, we can put somebody else outside. We don't want to rush a linebacker.' I can do that too."
Jared Verse met formally with the Bills at the combine. He is expected to be a first round draft pick.